


Ice Play

by GaoRyuki



Series: World of Meta Beasts 1 [1]
Category: The Flash (Comics), The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: ARGUS, Abduction, Addiction, Anal Plug, Anal Sex, Anger, Beating, Beebo - Freeform, Bindings, Bruising, Brutality, Central City, Childhood Abuse, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Cold gun, College, Consent, Consequences, Danger, Deep throat, Drug Use, Drugs, Dubious Consent, Edging, Electricity, Explicit Graphic Assault, Explicit Language, Fires, Flash Duty, Flashbacks, Gun Kink, Gun play, Healing, Kittens, M/M, Marking, Memories, Meta Beasts, Meta Power Dampener, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Mutilation, Near Death Experiences, Nightmares, Nipple Play, Numbness, Panic Attacks, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture, Possessiveness, Questionable Substance Use, Reckless Endangerment, Relief, Revelations, Rough Sex, Self-Doubt, Sex Toys, Sex Toys Under Clothing, Side Effects, Surveillance, Teasing, Text Messages, Torment, Trauma, Trust, Uncontrolled Environment, Unwanted attention, Weapons, anguish, borderline suicidal thoughts, carelessness, consentual, firearms, outdoors, power control, rogues - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2019-06-14 04:30:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 300,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15380703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaoRyuki/pseuds/GaoRyuki
Summary: We all know the events of the Particle Accelerator, at how it infused many ordinary humans with super powers.  Some use their powers for good, some for bad, others prefer to stay hidden away.  There are also those who's powers are not revealed until much later.In the World of Meta Beasts, ordinary animals have also been infected and we begin to see them emerge around Central City.  Not much is yet known about these Beasts, not many have been seen.  As time goes by, their numbers appear to increase as they make themselves known.In Part 1 of a trilogy, we begin with Central City's finest hero struggling through life, who finds the support he needs most in a very unlikely place.  With old friends and new, Barry Allen faces all the new challenges both life and Meta Beasts have waiting for him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There is no actual set placement in either the Comics or Arrowverse. This is my own universe where I mix in both Comics and Arrowverse. For the most part, established characters can be interpreted from either medium. Just like everyone, I tend to favour specific versions over others.
> 
> In my newest series, I have the Particle Accelerator as the key event that created all our Metas. Timeline wise, my story picks up 3 years after the Explosion. Barry has been in his coma for 9 months so he's been The Flash for a little over 2 years.
> 
> There is no Legends of Tomorrow in this particular series but I do have certain characters that will appear later on, including a particular blue furball.
> 
> Leonard Snart and Mick Rory are main characters and they are at a point where being criminals has gotten boring. Len still rules the Rogues and keeps tabs on other criminal organisations, the goings-on within the City, but pulling actual heists have diminished considerably.
> 
> Star City is still fairly new in its name and people still often refer to it as Starling. We'll be seeing some references to Starling and its vigilantes throughout the series. PalmerTech is very much alive and well.
> 
> Keystone City is very much alive and fully established, much like the Comics, although visually I don't have it immediately across the Central-Keystone bridge. It's about a half mile down the road. I hope to add in some visuals of my interpretation of Central City and Keystone, in terms of where key locations are. Something is added later on that is very much comic reference.
> 
> Coast City, Metropolis, National City are all referenced in Part 1 and we may get to see them in the next two parts.
> 
> Gotham is very much alive and is a true part of my story as it affects one of my key characters a great deal.
> 
> As for the Multiverse, definitely exists but with a slight twist. We will see references to many of the Earths we know about within the Arrowverse.
> 
> Like many trilogies, Part 1 is introducing us all to the world, its characters, new characters I have created solely for the purpose of this story, new dynamics, new events, and sets up the key plots going into Part 2.
> 
> My goal is to have fun with writing, see what I can come up with by mixing up the mediums and events. I put my characters through some rough times but there are plenty of good times as well. I do my best to balance the bad with the good. If there's a really specific rough section, then I feel the need to combat it with a bit of good. I have plenty of Tags and Warnings in place for each chapter that require it. Please be sure to watch 'em closely!
> 
> At the time of updating these notes, I have just uploaded Chapter 11 Gotham Play. I have 15 chapters planned for Part 1 but it might increase by another chapter or two. Also, over the next few weeks I will be fixing up the previous chapters as I have noticed some grammar issues and missed words. I won't be changing anything that will affect the context or story, but I just want to polish the chapters up a bit and update the chapter notes.
> 
> Thank you so much for checking out my story! Feel free to leave comments, questions, concerns in the notes below. I am also on Twitter: GaoRyuki and my DM Box is always open.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious note that was delayed causes some extra torment for the CSI Barry Allen, otherwise known as The Flash. A dangerous situation leads to grave consequences. An unlikely partnership is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What began as a stand-alone story has evolved into a new series with multiple chapters. Lots more is planned for this universe. This has nothing to do with my original Tales series but there are (and will be) some similarities. I will be getting back to that series soon.
> 
> WARNING: This story does have heavy usage of the Cold Gun in sexual situations along with Flash's power being subdued. As a result, a very dangerous situation unfolds which causes a near death experience. What begins as borderline non-consensual, later turns into consensual. Tread cautiously.
> 
> Explicit Warning: Beebo.
> 
> Edit August 5th -- I made a slight edit due to a potential problem spot. I had originally mentioned that Barry didn't care. That's it, no context. It began to bug me as I couldn't assume readers would pick up on the fact that Barry is exhausted as his Flash duties wore him out, the heat of all the fires is more than enough to make anyone cranky. As a result, it actually sounded a bit more Suicidal than intended, as Suicide was never on my mind. I added an extra paragraph there to bring the comment into proper context and make it better known that Barry really wasn't being forced into something he didn't want to do. This was never meant to be considered a Rape situation. The rest of the story remains intact as I do feel there is sufficient explanations and tidbits that shows Len and Mick really do care about Barry. I do have a few more chapters planned out that will showcase their care even more. Also made a few spelling corrections.
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments especially with what you liked, or didn't much care for. The last thing I want is for anyone to feel really uncomfortable. Thank you!

**\-- Ice Play --**

3-15, 12-4  
You know the place.  
Don't be late.  
Friday 10:00pm.  


Looking over the note for the umteenth time, Barry Allen turned it over in hopes of revealing more information. Sadly, there is nothing on the pristine white piece of paper aside from those words. 

Sighing, Barry leaned back in his chair, glancing up at the clock in his forensics lab at the CCPD. It's already 8pm and it's already Friday. He only got the note that afternoon. 

Thinking it was odd the note would say Friday instead of tonight, Barry had tracked down the mail circulation guy who claimed he had no idea who sent the note. He had only found it this morning, on the floor, underneath a desk. No telling how long it was there. 

Glancing at the note again, Barry wondered if the Friday in question was actually tonight or maybe it was last week. Growling softly, he squinted at the note as he held it up to the light. 

Wait ... 

Sitting straight up, turning on the desk lamp, Barry held the note near the light. There it was, a tiny sparkle of a blue snowflake inserted in between the two sets of numbers. Whatever those numbers meant. 

Frustrated, Barry leaned back in his chair again, staring up at the cloudy sky through the skylight. It's still light out, this being summer. Weather report claims heavy rain tonight. 

"ALLEN!" 

Startled, Barry sat straight up, spinning his chair around to the voice. Captain Singh stood in the doorway, arms crossed, clearly angry. Well, angrier than usual. 

Sighing, wondering what the Captain is going to accuse him of this time, Barry stood up. "Um, yeah? You need something, Captain?" 

"Yes, for the electric bill to go down. Damnit, Allen. I can't have you sitting up here all night long accomplishing nothing. Out of the entire building, I don't know how it's possible, but your lab uses up the most voltage." 

Okay, this is a new complaint. "Uh, sorry about that, Captain Singh. I guess I hadn't considered the ... " 

Captain Singh cut him off. "Of course, you didn't, you never think about things like that." 

Barry stood rooted to the floor as he watched the Captain run a hand over his eyes, mumbling something he couldn't hear. 

"Uh, sir? Is everything okay?" 

Captain Singh sighed. "Go home, Allen. That's an order." With that, the Captain turned and left. 

Wondering what that was about, and not surprised that the Captain didn't answer his question, Barry proceeded to follow orders. Tapping into the Speed Force, he straightened up the lab, turned off his desk lamp, grabbed his bag and stood at the entry to his lab. He really didn't feel like going home right now. 

Glancing at the note again, an inkling of an idea forming, he pocketed the note. Shutting the light off, Barry Allen headed downstairs and out of the precinct. 

Only to be blasted with a massive wave of heat. Quickly glancing around, he doesn't see the source of the heat. Gazing around, he relaxed as it was quite clear that it was only the blazing summer heat, based on all the people walking around in their summer outfits, many with large cold drinks in hand. 

Laughing silently to himself at his paranoia, Barry Allen headed down a few blocks toward a bookstore. He really wanted to find out what the numbers meant and seeing as he had no other plans on a Friday night, a bookstore is just as good a place to be. 

Entering the small bookstore, Barry found an older lady at the desk. Normally, he would tap into his speed to find what he needed but he didn't have the heart to create a mess in here. It's a family-owned bookstore that's been around for at least three generations and the last thing he wanted was for the nice lady to spend her Friday cleaning up the mess caused by his whirlwind. 

Instead, he walked over to the desk. 

"Good evening, m'am. I was wondering if you have any books on codes and where I might be able to find them?" 

The lady, most likely in her seventies, beamed up at him. "We have a few computer coding books and a book of Morse code but no other." 

Not letting on his disappointment, Barry shook his head. "I was hoping for other forms of coding, military, navy, or something." 

The lady seemed to ponder his words. "My husband was in the Navy for over thirty years. We often exchanged letters using codes. Might I be of service?" 

Barry couldn't believe his luck. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled the note out. "That's great! You see, I received this today and I wanted to know what the numbers could mean." 

Handing it over, he watched as the lady studied the numbers and even held it up to the light. A sparkle glinted in her eye. 

"You might want to recite your ABCs." 

Huh? "Uh, pardon?" Barry clearly didn't understand what she meant. 

The lady laughed softly, greatly amused. "You seem like a smart guy, based on your CSI bag. To be baffled by something every child learns at a young age, is quite a delight to my eyes. It's nice to see an honest person that doesn't claim to be perfect." 

Barry understood the humour in her words, laughing a little himself. 

"Think about my words, young man. I wish you success at finding your special friend." The lady beamed at him, handing the note back. 

"Um, yeah, thank you. I appreciate your help, m'am. Thank you, have a great night!" Barry left quickly, annoyed at the heat in his cheeks, knowing the lady had seen it, based on her continued soft laughter. 

Checking his watch, it's nearly 9pm. 

Wandering aimlessly down the streets, he pondered the lady's words. ABCs, something every child learns at a young age. 

Barry paused near the waterfront in the southern district near the Central-Keystone bridge. A familiar area, one he's been in many times. Not the safest of areas, nor the brightest, the area has a lot of old buildings and warehouses. He's not exactly sure how many of them are legit, or even abandoned, or how many people squatted in them. 

He let his feet take him wherever they will, as he continued lost in thought. Nearly 10pm and it finally clicked. ABCs, the most common code in the entire world. 

Hauling out the note, he matched up the numbers to their corresponding letters. He laughed out loud at how long it had taken him to figure it out. Leave it to Snart to put two signatures on the note; one in code COLD, the other only visible in the light. 

Feeling a vibration, Barry hauled out his cell phone. Cisco was calling. 

"Oh, hey, Cisco. What's up?" 

"Aren't you a bundle of sunshine in this crazy heat?!" Cisco sounded exasperated. "Where the hell are you? The radio is crazy busy tonight with trees catching fire due to people not heeding the Fire Ban warning." 

Seriously?! Barry glanced at his watch. 9:58pm. "Uh, got held up. I'm sure the Fire Department can handle it, surely?" 

"Yeah, Barry, they're holding up just fine being in at least ten different places at once. Oh look, there's another one a few blocks north of the Labs." 

Exasperated, knowing damn well that Snart doesn't like to be kept waiting, Barry gave in. "Fine, I'll be right there." 

Zipping to STAR Labs, Barry wondered what Snart could possibly want. The last few times they met, either by accident at Jitters or while on Flash duty, Leonard Snart had passed on some invaluable information which led to the CCPD arresting some very well-known mob bosses and breaking up criminal rings. Barry always figured that with less criminals on the streets, Snart and his Rogues would have more freedom to do whatever they wished. Not that he really minded as the information have been quite solid. Central City became much safer and that's all that truly mattered. 

Nabbing his suit and continuing northward, Barry pondered why Snart would risk sending a message to him at work. On a busy night like tonight, with all the fires, Snart could easily have just called upon his pyro buddy, Mick Rory, to start another fire and wait for him to show up. 

Putting the thought aside, Barry Allen, as The Flash, concentrated on saving as many people as he could, saving as many buildings as he could, saving as many pets and teddy bears as he could. After his seventh building of the night, Barry called in to Cisco. 

"Any others?" 

"Nah, man. All the fires have been neatly doused. How many teddy bears did you save tonight?" Barry could imagine his friend leaning back on his chair, feet up on the desk, probably holding a jumbo size ice-cold drink. 

"At least a hundred of the fuzzy things. I swear to god, if I see another damn Beebo in a burning building, I'm gonna let the cursed thing burn." Honestly, Barry Allen had absolutely no idea how the blue furball with a voice chip became a hit sensation. It seemed like every child in Central City had one, along with various other merchandise like Legos, t-shirts, lunch boxes, even BluRays of the Beebo Movie and television series. 

He heard Cisco laugh over the comm. "Yeah, I hear ya, man. Wanna come back and rest up before heading back out on regular patrol?" 

Before he could respond, a crackle in his other ear is heard. As he pondered why his suit had a second comm, a husky voice spoke. 

"You're late, Flash." 

"Late? Who's late? Are you late for something, Barry?" 

Barry sighed. "Nothing, Cisco, don't worry about it. I just forgot I needed to take care of something. I'll check back later." 

"Ba ... " 

Barry turned off the comm to STAR Labs and focused his attention on the new comm as he sped southwards again. 

"Yeah, sorry. City's been plagued with fires tonight ... " 

"I'm sure the good people at the various Fire Departments can do their own work for one night, hmm?" 

Annoyed with the interruption, Barry sighed. "Look, I'm free now so I'm on my ... " 

Snart cut the comm, Barry trailing off his sentence. 

Aggravated, Barry pounded on the door to announce his presence before phasing through. He's not sure why he's angry with Snart. After all, he's only a criminal who is obsessed with punctuality and makes it very well known that whoever is late will never again be tardy. Maybe it's the heat getting to him. Lots of people get growly with excess heat, and he had more than his share tonight with the weather and the fires. 

"SNART!" Barry roared, walking into the spacious living quarters of the warehouse nestled in the curve of the river down in the South-East corner of the district. "What the hell do you want that you had to send a note over ... " 

Barry stumbled, confused, his sentence left unfinished. 

Straightening up, looking behind him, Barry didn't see anything that would have made him falter. Taking another step forward, still glancing over his shoulder, Barry felt immense cold on his suit. Snapping his attention forward, he stood eye-to-eye with Captain Cold. 

"Nice of you to finally show up, Flash. For one so speedy, I continue to be amazed by how tardy you always are." 

"What do you want, Snart?" Barry seethed, annoyed with himself for letting Snart get this close to him. Thinking to speed-swipe the Cold Gun out of the other's hand, Barry attempted to do just that but only succeeded in a normal-pace movement of his hand, clutching the barrel. 

Snart's eyes had closely watched the movement, clearly amused. "What's wrong, Flash? Speed caught your tongue? Or in this case, lack of speed catching you frostbite?" 

Realising the cold seeping through his glove, Barry let go and started to shake his hand in a hopeless attempt to warm it up. Bewildered, he glanced down at the gun. It's powered on, humming, but not actually blasting any of the coldness at him as Snart kept his finger off the trigger. 

Side-stepping away, Barry stumbled again only to feel the gun back on his suit again, higher up above the emblem. Panicking, he wondered what the heck could be wrong. 

"Best watch your step, Flash. These old buildings have a lot of loose floorboards. Wouldn't want you to plaster your face to the ground." Snart smirked, increasing the pressure on Barry's chest ever so slightly. 

"What did you do?" Barry's voice sounded chilled. 

"Hmm," Snart was gazing down the red suit and met his green eyes again at the question. "Nothing to concern yourself with, Flash." 

Enraged, Barry took a step closer to Snart, unmindful of the now painful press of the cold gun. "Bastard, what ... " 

Snart raised his gun and pressed the muzzle directly under Barry's chin, halting his movement. Staring into his ice blue eyes, Barry could only swallow, tightly. 

Great, what a night. Captain Singh on his case for the increase in the electric bill, the mysterious note that led him here, the fires around Central City which made him late getting here. Now his powers appear to gone, and Captain Cold is making his entire body feel chilled. Although, did he really mind that too much? After all, it's bloody hot outside and despite being insulated in his suit, Barry still felt the incredible heat of all the fires. Now, without his powers, the effects of the powered up cold gun had increased a great deal. What the hell is Snart's game here? 

\----------------------------------------------

Cold gun pressed beneath the other's chin, Leonard Snart gazed into those beautiful green eyes. He always had a thing for green eyes, as they always seemed to complement his own blue ones. To have his Flash be lucky to have those glittering gems, Leonard felt pretty damn lucky himself. To have the speediest, most popular guy in Central City before him, trembling with the chill, in his main hideout, Leonard felt extremely lucky. 

"You were nearly outside my door, Flash, then you dashed away." He watched as the gems flinched. "You know how I value my time." 

Not expecting any sort of response, Leonard slid the muzzle of his cold gun down along the other's throat, hearing a slight exhale of breath. Reaching his left hand out, he caught the kid's chin, holding his gaze. He really did have the perfect eyes. 

Leonard held The Flash's gaze, watching every single blink, every single flicker, widening and half-lidding, seeing every emotion as he moved his cold gun. The muzzle slid along the chest, circled the emblem, and continued along covering up the entire torso in the chill. He smirked as The Flash let out a ragged gasp as the gun kneaded along his sides. 

"Mmm, I daresay you seem to be enjoying yourself, Flash." 

"Fuck ... you," Flash gasped out, intensifying his gaze. 

"Touchy, touchy." 

Leonard returned the muzzle back to the chin, pressing upward. He placed a hand on the lower back to prevent Flash from moving away. Scanning his eyes downward, he felt pleased with what he saw trying to break free of the tight fabric below the waist. 

"You know, Flash, things would go much easier if you just lose the suit. I'm quite certain you'd feel ever so much better." Stepping closer, Leonard let his thigh press lightly against the clear outline of Flash's erection, hearing a wonderful groan at his boldness. 

Stepping back again, loosening the tension on Flash's chin, he felt the reaction he was waiting for. Flash's hips lurched forward ever so slightly at the loss of contact. Smiling, smugly, he savored victory in his conquest of The Flash. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry gasped through the chill as the cold gun roamed his torso and slotted back nicely under his chin. He could barely focus on what Snart was saying. What the hell was he doing? He should have told Cisco where he was going. He winced immediately at that thought as he didn't want his best friend to get hurt. 

Much to his annoyance, Barry felt his fabric tighten. Focusing his eyes back on Snart, he realised the other had barely glanced away, only that brief moment where he was quite certain Snart had seen his erection. He couldn't catch the groan in time as Snart's thigh lightly pressed into him. He felt worse at the sudden contact, and cursed himself as his hips betrayed him, seeking contact. 

"Are you still wondering why I requested your presence tonight, Flash?" 

Even though he was no longer being held, Barry couldn't move. His breath caught at the sight of Snart standing a few steps away, seemingly relaxed, with the cold gun aimed at him. The other was wearing simple pair of black pants, and a tight tank shirt in a dark blue colour. Despite the casual clothing, he was most mesmerised by those eyes that kept up their intensity into his own. He felt heated as those eyes scanned down his body, lingered, further down the legs and back up again. 

"Uh," Barry couldn't think of what Snart could possibly want. For that matter, he could barely think of anything as his brain had clearly checked out for the night. 

Barry blinked as he felt rough hands on his arms, squeezing tightly while thumbs circled and pressed. Glancing over his shoulder, he met a heated gaze. 

"Hey, Red. Nice of you to visit." Did he just ... Barry couldn't believe that the pyro, Mick Rory, could purr. 

Facing forward again, he saw that Snart hadn't moved, but his smirk got smirkier. Is that even possible? Barry shook his head, clearly not thinking straight. 

He tried again. "Why am I here, Snart? What do you want?" 

He watched as Snart tilted his head, pondering the question. He pressed on. "You know it's dangerous leaving me a note at the CCPD. Whatever it was you wanted, you could have just used our regular method to have a chat." 

"Sounds like he still no gets it, boss." Mick laughed deeply, close to his ear. He was so close, Barry could almost feel the heated breath on his cowl-covered ear. 

Heart thudding, he attempted to pull away but felt the pyro tighten his grip, pulling him back into the bare chest. Wait ... 

Barry blinked again, glancing back over his shoulder and yes, Mick Rory wasn't wearing a shirt. Lowering his gaze, he did see pants. He exhaled in relief, ignoring the laugh at his ear. 

The relief was short-lived as Barry's eyes flew open at the touch of teeth on the back of his head, tugging at the fabric. Mick moved a hand up to move the fabric off his jaw just as he pulled the cowl back. 

"Much better. Hello, Barry." 

Barry didn't respond to Snart's greeting, only scowled at the bastard in front of him, now standing much closer. He felt his body tense as Snart leaned in closer, a mere inch away. Without thinking, he pressed back into Mick who welcomed him by wrapping his burnt arms around his waist. His body suddenly started to tingle. 

"Mmm, I can feel how frustrated you are at having your body betray you like this." 

Barry shuddered at the cool breath on his face. He hadn't realised his eyes had lidded until he felt the cold gun press into the side of his exposed neck, snapping them open again. He moved his neck away from the gun, but the chill followed. He felt the muzzle knead into his neck and upward along the ear. 

"Wha ... what ... " Damnit, Barry couldn't get any words out. The sensations spreading through his body was quickly becoming unbearable. Didn't help that Mick kept a tight hold on his waist, pulling him back into the heated groin. 

"What do you want, Barry?" 

What did he want? What Barry wanted was for this to stop but all that he could get out was a groan that sounded needy. He tensed when he felt the gun press into his left ear. He felt his lips chap at the chill and ran a tongue along them, belatedly cursing himself. 

He heard Snart chuckle. "Just as I thought." 

Barry felt the cold gun lower again to press into the side of his neck. He quickly felt Mick's heated breath on his chilled ear, the dampness as the pyro ran his tongue along the back, teeth grazing the lobe. He also felt a thumb sliding along his lower lip. 

Snapping his eyes open again, he fell into Snart's gaze as the other prodded his lips open. Hating his body, he felt his lips part to allow entry. The thumb grazed along his lower teeth, and entered further to stroke the tip of his tongue. He felt his own tongue swirl around the thumb, resulting in a low chuckle. 

He felt a sudden pain of loss when Snart removed his thumb. 

"Hold still." 

Hold still? Barry rolled his eyes then arched an eyebrow, as if to say 'Seriously'? With his powers gone, the pyro holding him tightly, pressing him back into his erection, chewing on his earlobe, he highly doubt he'd be able to move away anytime soon. 

"None of that, Barry. I want you as still as possible." 

Barry felt the cold gun move forward again, to his chin. He kept his eyes on Snart, trying so hard not to satisfy the asshole with a reaction. 

"Good. Keep holding." 

Snart raised the gun higher, grazing along the chin, resting just below his lower lip. Barry remained still. 

"Good. See? I knew you could follow orders. Now, drop your eyes and take a look at my gun." 

Puzzled, Barry did as instructed and instinctively pressed further back into Mick, releasing a gasp as the now naked erection pressed heavily into his tight fabric. 

"Mmm, so close. You had to move. You know what that means now." Snart spoke so dangerously low, Barry broke out into a sweat. He knew very well what was coming. 

Barry's eyes remained on the finger that was on the trigger. His body pulsed as he heard a click, as Snart removed the safety. He watched the finger knead lightly along the trigger, mesmerising him. He swallowed, wondering what setting the cold gun was on. 

"Shall we continue?" 

Barry tried so hard to ignore Mick's kneading of his ass, the erection pulsating along the thin fabric covering his crack. He raised his eye back up to Snart, then back down at the gun again. 

"A nod of the eyes means affirmation." 

Wait ... what? Barry snapped his eyes back up and felt the muzzle press on his lips. He desperately told his mouth to not move. 

"Tongue, Barry." 

He felt the coldness press harder, enough to bruise his lips. Against his will, his tongue slithered out to meet the muzzle, keeping his lips closed. Snart kneaded the muzzle against the tip. 

"Need a little more, Barry." 

Barry gasped as he felt Mick grasp his erection. He hadn't felt the pyro move his hand. Instantly, he felt the cold gun press inward, sliding along the tongue. He tasted the coldness of the underside, shuddering ... at the chill? The intensity? The thrill? He no longer knew. 

The cold gun hadn't pressed too far back, much to Barry's relief. It only slid back and forth along the tongue. He closed his eyes, willing himself to relax, letting the gun continue sliding. Last thing he wanted was for Snart to accidently press that trigger. 

"Good, so good, Barry." 

He felt his cheeks flush at the praise. His eyes popped open again when the muzzle rubbed along the inside of his mouth, stroking the sides, then twisting sideways. He felt the gun penetrate further, feeling it lightly poke against his gag reflex then retreat. His throat worked overtime trying not to cough. 

"Swallow." 

Inhaling through his nose, feeling the pyro rub a thumb over the head of his erection, he silently cursed his suit for caging him so tightly. His attention refocused on Snart as he pressed forward again, reaching the gag spot. Barry struggled a bit but managed to swallow, and again, feeling the gun press even further back. One more swallow and the muzzle pressed tightly against the back. 

"Good. That wasn't so hard now, was it?" 

Barry glared at him. 

"And still so feisty. That's what I like about you, Barry. Always wanting to take control of any situation. I do love a good challenge. Always feel _extra_ satisfied when I conquer my prey." Snart chuckled again, eyes shimmering in delight. 

Barry's eyes closed as he let out a muffled groan, his head leaning back more against Mick. The cold gun pulled back briefly and slammed in again, his lips and tongue sliding along. He felt it knead a bit, wiggle, pull back again, and pressed further in. He swallowed again as the gun tipped, sliding downwards. His tongue lapped at the underside, vaguely aware that he was dangerously close to the trigger. He didn't care. 

Well, more accurately, Barry felt too damn exhausted from earlier tonight to bother caring much about anything right now. He really wasn't in the mood to be playing ice games with Cold, no matter how much his body was enjoying being cooled down. Okay, maybe he cared a little bit as he realised he really was enjoying this. Still, his irritation hadn't subsided much and he felt the compulsion to push the asshole. Barry briefly wondered how it would feel . . . 

"Hmm, you're taking this better than I expected, Barry." 

Barry ignored him. He lightly moved his head up, not changing the angle, as he sought more of the muzzle. He swallowed once more, taking in more. His tongue grazed along the casing around the trigger. He felt the flesh of the finger. 

"Barry ... " 

Barry ignored the warning tone, stroking the finger with his tongue. He raised his tongue just enough to press the tip along the nail. He flicked his tongue, he felt the finger shudder. He pressed against the nail, feeling the finger press back against his tip. He opened his eyes slightly, holding Snart's gaze. 

"BARRY!" 

Barry heard the startled tone as he pressed his head forward, his tongue pressing heavily on the trigger. He raised his lip in a grin as he tasted his own victory as the cool ice flowed down this throat. 

\----------------------------------------------

Wrenching the cold gun free, Leonard clasped Barry's face in both hands, seeing the eyes drop closed, and pressed his lips against the speedster. He inserted his tongue, feeling the chill. Dropping his hands, he ran them along Barry's neck and throat, desperately kneading in some warmth. 

"Barry, you fucking idiot." He thumped a fist on the kid's chest, meeting his lips again. 

"I got dis." 

Leonard pulled back as Mick turned Barry around, pushing him onto his knees. Prying the mouth open, Mick pushed his leaking erection inside. 

Leonard's brain couldn't seem to function as he watched his friend glide his cock in and out of the kid's mouth, not realising how it could possibly help. He lifted one of Barry's hands, pulling the glove off. Holding it, he felt some heat, but chilling fast. Rubbing vigorously, trying to warm the hand, Leonard heard Mick grunt and watched as he stood still. He wondered if the heat of the cum would be enough to warm up his Flash. 

"Damp'ner," Mick growled out softly. He spoke so quietly that it was a moment before Leonard's brain registered the word. 

When his brain caught up, Leonard hurried over to where the dampener device was clipped on the wall and flicked it off. 

"C'mon, kid. Youse got lotta life yet. Don't give up on me now." 

Leonard heard Mick speaking softly, watching him stroke Barry's hair, continuing his thrusting. It was mere moments when he saw Mick harden fully again, thrusting more aggressively. Leonard could only just stand there and watch, shocked at how the night turned out. He hadn't expected Barry to take control like that. 

Hoping it'll help, Leonard knelt down behind Barry and found the zipper, pulling down. He shoved the suit off his shoulders, pulling the arms free. He placed his palms on the speedster's back, kneading in warmth. All over the back, he rubbed his thumbs into the lower back, and kneaded up the sides. He wasn't sure if he saw Barry's fingers flutter, or maybe it was the way Mick launched his seed down the kid's throat. 

"Damnit, kid. Wake up already. Think of yer friends, yer family. Think of Central City and all the people waiting for you. Think of all the blue furballs that need to be saved." Mick growled, grunting at the end of each comment as his orgasm continued. 

Wrapping his arms around Barry's waist, Leonard pressed into his back. He spoke softly into his ear. "Barry, come back to us." 

Leonard felt a shiver ... no ... a vibration, as Barry's back rippled. He watched the lips twitch, colour coming back, as they moved on Mick's cock. 

"Barry?" 

Leonard pulled back, leaving his hands on Barry's waist, kneading. He watched a hand raise to grasp the base of Mick's cock, squeezing. Barry picked up the pace as he sucked on Mick. Leonard felt him vibrate, watched as Mick hardened _again_. The hand fell away as Barry lurched forward, taking Mick in fully, still vibrating. Within moments, Mick's eyes glazed over as he sent his hot seed down the kid's throat again. 

Leonard heard the pop as Barry released Mick from his mouth. 

"All those fucking furballs can go burn in hell." Barry spat out the words. 

Mick laughed heartily. "I like dis kid." 

Mick ran tender fingers along the side of Barry's face, cupping him, pulling the kid's gaze upon his heated ones. Leonard watched as his friend stroked his thumb along those damp lips, collecting the cum that lingered. Much to Len's surprise, Barry caught the thumb and sucked on it, never averting from Mick's gaze. 

Mick grinned like a kid in a candy store. "Nice. Youse a good guy, Red." 

Leonard watched as Mick bent forward and gently planted a kiss on Barry's forehead. "Gotta go clean up. You kids have fun." With a tousle of the hair, Mick wandered off, humming. 

Barry sighed and tipped backward, falling against Leonard who was still kneeling behind him. Leonard wrapped his arms around the speedster's chest. 

"Len?" A soft inquiry. 

"Yeah, I'm here, kid." Leonard felt immense relief fill his core, extremely grateful that Barry turned out okay. 

"Mmm," Barry sighed, contently, eyes half-lidding. "Love your cold gun." 

What?! "Barry ... " Leonard gritted his teeth. 

"The way it felt on the thin fabric, how it felt directly on skin, my neck, my ear, my lips." Leonard felt Barry pulse at the memory. "How you thrusted inwards, gently at first then harder." Barry licked his lips. "I swallowed down as much as I could. The angle of the gun, how deep down it went, the ice felt ... felt ..." Barry's body spasmed but only for a moment. 

"Barry, enough." Leonard couldn't bear to hear anymore. 

"I need more." 

"What?!" Leonard couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Barry ... " 

Barry sat up, twisted around, resting his palms on Leonard's thighs. Leonard felt his breath catch as he saw the flicker of lightning in Barry's eyes. He didn't react as Barry leaned in, catching his lips. He felt the prodding tongue, parted his lips and let himself be kissed deeply. 

After what felt like minutes, Barry pulled back, licking his lips. Leonard gasped for air. 

Damnit, he needed to tell Barry what happened. "Barry," Leonard's breath was ragged. 

"Hmm?" Barry tilted his head, encouraging him to continue. 

"Damnit kid, you nearly died. That was a foolish thing to do, wresting control like that." Gads, he was so furious at Barry. 

"But I didn't die. Len," Barry grasped his hands, turning the palms up, running his thumbs lightly along them. Leonard shuddered at the contact as Barry captured his eyes again. 

"Len, I wasn't in any danger." 

Those words seemed to penetrate his soul, words that didn't make any sense. "The dampener field was on. You didn't have your powers." 

Barry nodded. "Yes, my powers were gone which made the experience even more exhilarating." 

"But the ice blast," Leonard growled, confused. How can Barry be so damn calm?! 

"Cooled off my parched throat nicely. Do you realise how bloody hot it is out there? Combine that with the fires I had to take care of, I was practically roasting alive." Barry leaned in, stole another kiss. 

Leonard pushed him away. "Barry, are you okay? You nearly died." He wasn't ready to let this go as the kid clearly wasn't taking this seriously enough. 

"Hmm, yeah. Perfectly fine. Sure, I passed out there but I knew I wasn't in any real danger." 

"How can you be so damn fucking calm about this?!" Leonard growled out, surprised that Barry hadn't flinched. 

"Len, look at me." Feeling a hand cup his face, Leonard gazed into Barry's still sparking eyes. "I'm fine. I wasn't in any real danger because, truth be told, I trust you. Completely. I'm calm because one of us needs to stay calm." 

Barry thrusted two fingers past his lips, preventing his words. Continuing, "I know this spooked you. I get it. It's way more than enough to spook anyone. Insane, actually. But it is what it is. The experience turned out differently than you planned and stuff like that happens." Barry leaned in for another kiss as he removed his fingers. 

Not moving away, foreheads pressing, Barry went on, his breath warm on Leonard's skin. "You were right, though. I did like it. All of it. My body was eager, so ready for whatever you had planned. My brain ended up being a bit tardy though," a giggle. "You did nothing wrong, Len. Nothing. You gave me what I wanted, what I needed, what I craved. I'm grateful you had back-up for our first real encounter. Adding Mick into the mix really heightened the experience." 

Barry stroked his cheek ever so softly. Leonard felt all his tension dissipate, the anxiety subsiding. He leaned forward, capturing Barry's lips, thrusting his tongue inward. The last of the chill swiftly removed as Barry hungrily took him in. 

He pulled back, gasping. "We can't do that again, Barry. Not with the safety off. It's too dangerous." 

"Mmm, but the danger is what really woke me up. You had it at the lowest setting ... " 

Leonard interrupted, painfully, "It was a little past medium setting." 

"Huh," Barry seemed to take in that piece of information. "Mmm, maybe the lower setting won't make me pass out. I tell you, it really did feel good going down." 

"Barry!" 

"Len, it's okay. I'm fine. Powers or no, my body can still handle whatever you thrust inside of me." Barry giggled as he pulled Leonard into another kiss, the lightning from the eyes fading away. 

Legs straining from kneeling down for so long, Leonard tilted backwards, Barry following. He felt the kid jam a hand down his pants, causing him to gasp into that delicious mouth. 

"Mmm, doesn't take you long to harden up." Barry nipped the tip of his nose as Leonard felt the pre-cum start to flow under the attention. Barry sat up, legs straddling him, as he pulled his hand out. Leonard gazed at those sticky fingers and shuddered as Barry licked one clean. 

"Tasty. Want some?" 

Before he could respond, Leonard felt two sticky fingers thrust into his mouth. He sucked them clean, savoring the taste. Barry leaned down again and thrusted his tongue back into Leonard's mouth. 

"Now then," Barry commented as he stood up. "We have some unfinished business." 

Leaning up on his elbows, Leonard arched an eyebrow up at him. "Oh?" He couldn't say any more than that as the sight of having his Flash stand above him like this, his face and chest bare, erection still caught in the fabric, those green eyes gazing adoringly down at him ... he shivered. 

He heard Barry's blasted giggle. "Yeah. Mick tormented me for far too long. I need you inside of me." He whirled, removing the last of the suit then straddled Leonard again. 

He felt the speedster nuzzle his pants, causing him to fall back down again, groaning. "Damnit, kid. Just remove 'em already." 

With Barry mouthing him through the fabric, Leonard felt himself fully harden. 

"Is that an order?" 

Leonard glared at him. "Yes, definitely an order. Move it." 

"Geeze, you always this grouchy when you're hard?" Barry flashed the pants and boxers off in a blink. "Mmm, nice. Not as thick and rough as Mick's, but definitely longer." Barry took him in fully in one swallow. Pulling back up, Barry licked the head. "Definitely smoother. I honestly can't say which I like better." He sucked on the head, making slurping noises. "Both taste equally good." 

"BARRY!" 

"Impatient, sheesh. Fine, fine." Barry gave a final lick, bemused at how much it twitched. Leonard thrusted his hips upward, glaring. 

Pushing himself up, Barry straddled Leonard, letting the pre-cum flowing cock graze along his crack. "Mmm, this is gonna feel good." 

Sanity clicked in as Barry was aligning himself. "Wait!" 

Barry looked down at him, puzzled, the cock tip pressed against his anus. "Len?" 

Gads! How his Flash looked so gorgeous paused like that. Leonard took in the sight, imprinting it on his memory. Oh, right. "Supplies." 

Barry giggled. "Don't need 'em, Len. It's one of the main benefits of being The Flash. We're safe, perfectly safe. Nothing to worry about." 

"Don't you need to lube up?" Len inquired, dearly wishing sanity could take a hike. 

"Nah, your pre-cum is flowing quite excessively. Way more than enough. Here I go!" With that, Barry pressed down, hard and fast, although thankfully, not Flash fast. Leonard gasped at how good it felt, feeling his own body tense up. 

"Damn, way better than I expected." Barry began to bounce lightly as he rode him. "Mmm, nice and smooth is a good match for an equally smooth hole." Barry slightly adjusted himself. "Oh yeah, that's the spot ... " Barry gasped out that last word as his own cock rose to full mast and began leaking pre-cum. 

"Damnit, Barry!" Leonard felt the tightness, feeling the orgasm start to wash over him. 

"Let yourself flow into me, Lenny." 

That's an order Leonard was more than willing to follow. He kept his eyes on Barry as he filled him up, watching how the kid's tongue hung out of his mouth, eyes half-lidded in pure bliss. A beautiful sight. 

Emptying the last of his load, Leonard sat up, and forward, pushing Barry down on his back. With a final thrust, Leonard pulled out and latched his mouth onto the speedster's cock, now flowing freely. A couple of strokes with his mouth, Leonard took him in fully. He felt Barry's body pulse and squirm as he came, feeling the warmth plummet down into his gut. 

Pulling off with a pop, Leonard cleaned Barry with his tongue, making sure to give extra attention to the anus. He grinned at how Barry moaned as he thrusted his tongue inside, and even louder as he latched his lips on the hole, sucking out every drop. 

"Fuck, LEN!" 

Pushing himself up, Leonard pressed his cum-soaked lips onto Barry's mouth, letting the last of the juices flow down his throat. Licking the soft lips as he pulled out, Leonard dropped his head down to Barry's ear, biting the lobe. 

He whispered huskily in Barry's ear, "Victory is mine." He chuckled as Barry shuddered. 

\----------------------------------------------

Savoring the afterglow, Barry couldn't help but be extremely pleased. True, he hadn't known what he was getting himself into when he tackled the puzzle of the note. If sanity existed, he would have tossed the note aside, but he does love a good mystery. 

Rolling onto his side, he watched as Len's chest rose and fell, eyes half-closed. Sure, there was a bit of a tense moment but all worked out okay. Barry is fine, Leonard is fine, Mick is fine. 

He reached out his hand, resting fingers along Len's lips. As expected, Barry felt his fingers sucked into that lavish mouth, tongue twirling around them, sucking them deep. He wiggled his fingers at the back of Len's throat, receiving a grunt in response. The sight made him harden instantly, a moan emitting from his lips. He felt teeth run along his knuckles, he began leaking pre-cum again. 

"Fuck, Len!" He attempted to retrieve his fingers but Len held on, refusing to let go, swallowing and sucking hard. 

Pressing his forehead down on the floor, Barry gasped and cursed as his newest orgasm struck him heavily. He didn't care about pouring out onto the floor. 

A leg spasmed as the last of the cum flowed out, kicking at something cool. Panting, Barry maneuvered his leg to catch the object, and pulled it close. Pulling his fingers free, he sat up, feeling coolness pressed along his crack. He shuddered at the sensation, craving it. 

Twisting slightly, pushing back, he felt the muzzle slide along and press oh so nicely against his balls. Gasping, he rocked himself into the muzzle, using his feet and legs to hold the cold gun close, uncaring if the safety was off, unmindful of where the trigger was. Feeling another orgasm coming on, he rocked harder. With a final thrust, using his legs to press the cold gun hard against his balls, Barry cried out as his cock unleashed another load. 

He collapsed forward, body twitching as he came down from the high. 

"Fuck, kid. How the hell long can ya go?" 

Moving his head, Barry saw Mick re-enter the room, pants on, still no shirt. He grinned, satedly as the pyro came over and kneeled down. Twitching his ass in invitation, he felt Mick thrust two fingers in. The sensation was utterly devine as the cold gun was still right behind him, cooling down the surrounding area. He inched back toward it, gasping at the contact. 

"Oh?" 

Barry hissed as the fingers were removed, followed by the cold gun. He rolled onto his back, glaring up at Mick. 

"Shouldna play with dangerous things, Flash." 

Barry reached for the gun and failed as Mick stood up. Growling, he stood up and launched himself at Mick who side-stepped neatly. 

"Calm down, kid. It's fer yer own good." 

"Shut up, Mick. Give me that." Barry roared at him, always reaching but Mick kept the cold gun out of his grasp. 

Eyes sparking, he launched himself at the cold gun but Mick twisted it out of the way, causing Barry to land hard on the floor. 

"BARRY!" 

Barry paused as arms wrapped around him tightly. 

"Damnit, Len, let me go!" He wriggled, unsuccessfully. 

"Barry, calm down. That's an order." The low, threatening growl, gave him pause. 

"But ..." 

"But nothing." Barry hissed as Leonard bit his earlobe. Len continued, "The cold gun isn't a toy, Barry. It's dangerous, which you very damn well know." 

"I can handle it!" Barry attempted to lash out but Len held his arms tightly, twisting them up along his back. "Argh!" 

"Len's right, kid. Ain't no way we's lettin' you solo this thing." 

Barry panted, glancing up at Mick, words not registering. He felt his eyes spark again, contemplating how to get the gun away from Mick. What he hadn't expected was for the pyro to butt the gun along the side of his head. The sparks fell away, replaced by black spots. 

"No more sparking, kid." 

"Are you calmed down enough?" Leonard spoke sternly, but more softly. 

Blinking his vision back into focus, Barry nodded. He inhaled deeply, taking in both Leonard's and Mick's scents, exhaling slowly. Again, another deep breath, he leaned back into Len as he exhaled. "Yeah," he rasped out. "Sorry, don't know what came over me." 

"It's fine, you're okay, Barry." Leonard spoke soothingly, loosening his hold, stroking his arms. "You're most likely experiencing some after-effects of the ordeal." 

Barry shuddered and groaned, annoyed at how he could have hurt his friends. "I could have hurt you both." 

Mick laughed. "You? Hurt us? C'mon, kid. How long we've been buttin' heads? We got smarts, we know how to take a hit and give back tenfold." 

Mick knelt down in front of him, resting on one knee. The cold gun casually in his grasp. He felt the pyro cup the side of his face, smoothing a thumb along his lower lip. Barry licked it, saw Mick smile sweetly. 

Barry groaned as Mick placed his other hand on his bare chest, feeling the coolness lingering from the cold gun. The fingers kneaded, digging in, causing him to gasp. He felt the hand move away, causing him to curse. 

"Always wired, eh, Flash? Should I put the damp'ner on again?" Mick chuckled. 

"Fuck you, Mick." 

"Go ahead, Mick." Barry glanced back over his shoulder at Len, only to be met with the other's tongue thrusting in his mouth. He groaned, feeling himself harden at the same time he lost touch with the speed force. 

"Barry?" Len inquired. 

Gasping, Barry leaned back further into Len's embrace. "Fine. I'm fine. It's ... a bit unsettling not having my powers. Give me a sec." 

Feeling his body shudder and settle into the role of no powers again, Barry breathed deeply, closing his eyes. All these years of battling these two across Central City, he had never once paused to take in their scent. Both so musky, Mick with an extra scent of intense heat, Len a cool sweetness like a breath mint. Both smelled so intoxicating, pushing all his senses to the max. 

Licking his lips, he suddenly felt different lips on his. Parting, he felt the heated thrust as Mick's tongue explored his mouth. Again, like the cocks, Mick's tongue is thicker and rougher than Len's. He loved every inch of it, of both of them. Barry wondered how he had gone so long without having both of his nemesis claim him. So wonderful, so delicious, he had never felt this way before with anyone. 

Barry groaned deeply inside Mick's mouth, his cock pulsating painfully. His eyes widened as he felt the cold gun on the floor, the muzzle nestled against his base. They fluttered closed again as Mick pinched his nipples, his mouth still trapped by Mick's. So much in bliss, he barely felt Len's hand stroke his tip. 

Pulling away, gasping, Barry yelped as Mick lowered to bite a nipple. "Fuck, Mick!" He felt the tongue ravage that same nipple, pressing, stroking, nipping again, sucking. Another hard bite, Mick pulled, causing Barry to release another orgasm. 

"Fuck, kid. Yer like the Energizer Bunny. What the hell you runnin' on?" 

Panting, Barry grinned up at Mick. "Speed force. Keeps me going, and going, and going ... ARGH!" 

Mick had picked up the cold gun and slammed it hard into the agonised nipple. He kneaded roughly, Barry could hardly catch a breath. Holding the gun in place, pressing firmly, Mick set his attention on the other nipple. Slathering the nipple, Mick bit down hard, pulling, and relinquished control of the cold gun. His hand now free, he roamed over Barry's erection. Barry felt the chill in the hand, and thrusted upwards. Mick squeezed while continuing to ravage his nipples. 

His body pulsating uncontrollably, Barry felt a hundred different sensations course through him. As Mick provided attention to both his nipples and his cock, Leonard had regained control of his cold gun and was now stroking it along his thighs. He has no idea what the setting is at but it didn't matter ... it felt too divine. Seeing as it was just body stroking, he hoped it wasn't the lowest setting. He could take more, a lot more. 

He pressed his leg into the cold gun, rubbing it. Len pressed the muzzle down on the knee to flatten the leg out again. Biting back a curse, it came out anyway as Mick bit hard again. 

"Damnit, Mick! You're tearing into my flesh!" 

A deep chuckle is heard. "Good. I hear ya heal fast." 

"Not THAT faaaaaaa..." Barry cried out as Mick squeezed him into another orgasm. 

Panting, struggling to move, Barry leaned forward only to be met with Mick's tongue thrusting inside his mouth again. He groaned as the pyro straddled him, holding his face steady in his palms. There was no getting up. Mick held him possessively. 

Leaning forward into Mick, Barry attempted to move his legs beneath him. He wanted to take a bit of control of the situation. Succeeding, he knelt up on his knees, pressing his palms against the burnt flesh, kneading his fingers into the chest. 

He shuddered, a full body shudder as the cold gun grazed down his spine. Who knew how sensitive his spine could be? 

He felt Len's hand squeezing his ass. "Leeeen ... " 

"Busy," came the reply, followed by a finger grazing his crack. Barry wiggled, wanting more. The finger departed. Barry huffed in annoyance, Mick thrusted his tongue in his ear. 

"Damnit, Len!" 

"Hmm? What?" Barry felt the cold on the back of his neck. He leaned back into the muzzle, felt it pull away. 

"Stop fucking with me, Len!" Mick thrusted two fingers into his mouth. Barry tried to pull away but Mick held him close, thrusting deep. Barry groaned. 

A tap of the gun along his backside, Barry noticed the change. It felt, less intense. Damnit, he needed more intense, not less. He squirmed against Mick. He felt the cold gun thunk the side of his head, the opposite side to when Mick had done the same. He stopped squirming, lightly sucking the fingers. 

"Stop it, Barry. You know the rules here. My gun, my pace, my rules." Leonard leaned in close to his ear. "Are we clear?" Barry could only nod, trembling. "Good." He felt Len run his tongue along his ear before pulling back. 

Mick removed his fingers, leaving Barry panting. He wondered how long this night will last. He had no idea what to expect when he arrived, thinking it was just going to be another swap of information. Instead, Barry got way more than he bargained for. This ... THIS was the very last thing on his mind, being utterly tormented by his two most dangerous nemeses; his two most _favourite_ nemeses. He should be hating this, should have escaped when the dampener field was off, but no. He was enjoying this way too much. Who knew his body craved this kind of contact? 

Since becoming The Flash, Barry has had a few relationships but they never really went anywhere, especially with always having to hide his identity and couldn't risk his powers sparking into play. Plus, any kind of contact, he had barely felt as his power buzzed within constantly, always deflecting in its attempt to keep injuries away. Sure, he could still feel the contact but they were greatly reduced, a punch often only feeling like a tap. Soft touches, caresses, his body could never register. 

Now? Barry felt himself emit a long, satisfied sigh as his thoughts roamed, his body relaxing in Mick's embrace. Now he has the means to give his body exactly what he so desperately needed. He hadn't known he needed this, had craved this, until part way through this visit. Apparently, Len knew, and had known for a long time. He planned this, waited for the right moment, had even acquired a dampener field that really helped Barry to feel everything. Yeah, Barry had to admit to himself, he wanted this so much, loved it so much, loved how ... 

Barry inhaled sharply at the sudden contact on his backside, bringing his attention back to the present. Not chilled, just Len's hand stroking him and kneading. How long had he been lost in thought? He heard Mick chuckle. 

"Welcome back, Red. Ready to go again?" 

Barry blinked in confusion. He really couldn't have been out of it that long. "Wha ..." 

"Ten minutes." Len spoke from behind him, now stroking both sides, softly, tenderly. Barry didn't bother to hold back his groan. He wants this, he wants them, and they definitely knew it. 

\----------------------------------------------

Increasing the tension while kneading, Leonard listened to every sound that Barry let out, as he let his hands roam the smooth, delicious back, grazing nails along the spine. He leaned forward, running his tongue along that spine, deliriously enjoying the panting sounds. He went lower, sucking at the lower back, pleased to see little bruises forming. He knew the bruises will be gone within moments of turning off the dampener but that doesn't diminish the pleasure of plastering his Flash's back with them. For the next several minutes, he proceeded to do just that, causing the most wonderful of sounds. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry gasped and panted, cursed quietly, and let out a long groan as Len administered attention to his lower back, so close to his crack. He forced himself not to move, not to raise his ass as he didn't want to risk losing contact with those wonderful hands, that treacherous tongue. He lost all track of time as Len kneaded, rubbed, pinched, stroked, and lathered his entire back with his tongue, sucking, nipping, biting. Barry panted heavily with each tongue stroke, gasped with each nip, groaned obscenely with each bite. He didn't care, he was loving this. The only sane thought on his mind right then was how bruised his back will be when Len was done. He silently cursed his healing powers for healing way too quickly. Once again, Barry was truly grateful for the dampener field as the device will prevent the healing, letting him savor his bruises, his marks, a little longer. 

Mick hissed, capturing his attention. Barry blinked as he realised he had sunk his teeth into the pyro's neck. 

"Fuck, kid." 

Before he could stammer out an apology, Mick kissed him deeply, thrusting his tongue in once again. Barry panted as Mick pulled back. He shivered as the other lathered his neck, using both tongue and lips. He groaned as Mick sucked hard, nipped and bit, pulled on skin much as Len is doing to his back. 

A pause had left his body pulsating, shivering, shuddering, panting. Len had pulled back, lightly trailing a finger through the saliva, Mick humming while flicking his tongue in his ear. He didn't know how long this pause lasted. He didn't care, it's their pace. All he can do is endure and feel. 

Without warning, Barry screamed his loudest yet as Mick sunk his teeth into the spot between neck and shoulder. He held on for what seemed eternity. Barry's vision blurred, he couldn't think, couldn't focus, there was just so much pain ... so much pleasure! 

Mick pulled back and kissed him again. Barry could taste the metal tang. Pulling back, he saw the blood on Mick's lips, saw the grin. He leaned forward again, sucking on those lips, running his tongue along the teeth, collecting every red drop. He paid no mind to the burning pain. 

\----------------------------------------------

Mick delighted in hearing Barry scream, very pleased with how loud he could go. Pulling away from his lips, Mick bit the tip of Barry's nose and ran his tongue over it. He felt the kid shudder under his roughness. 

As he roamed down the heated neck, lapping up lingering traces of blood, Mick let his thoughts roam as he nipped, bit, sucked his way down to the elbow. Barry's scent fully engulfed him, he couldn't help but bathe in the pleasurable sensations, moving instinctively. 

Mick had known Lenny had been making plans to capture The Flash for years now. Well, previously, it was just Barry Allen as he had joined Lenny on a few of those visits to the precinct. A cute, young face with green eyes and tousled hair, Mick never cared if he was cuffed, always trying to catch the kid's attention. He did get a brief stare once, saw the heated flush in the cheeks. Naturally, Mick grinned his toothy way which caused him to scamper off. 

Other visits, Mick had always caught sight of Barry, seeing how hard he was trying to stay out of sight, but he knew the kid was there, watching him and Len. Mick always thought the kid had good taste, as Lenny definitely was a fine piece to look at. 

There was one visit, shortly before the Particle Accelerator blew, when Mick decided to be bold and walked into the CCPD by himself. He remembered laughing as he had stood in the middle of the room for ten seconds before a dozen or so guns were aimed at him. Two of the beefiest officers had come up behind him, tackling him down to the ground, cuffing his arms behind his back. Mick hadn't put up a fight, letting their bodies press into him, holding him down, feeling their weight, the roughness of their arms and a couple others, as they patted him down looking for weapons or anything else. All the while, Mick had gazed upwards until he caught Barry standing out in the open, staring, unable to move. Mick had captured his eyes, holding his gaze. He grinned, ran his tongue over his lips, a tilt of his head toward the kid suggestively, a slight upward thrust of his ass. He remembered the flustered cheeks, the eyes dilating, the slight tremble. 

When Mick was hauled to his feet, the officers pushed him forward to find a holding cell. Mick took great pleasure in seeing Barry rooted to the floor as he passed by, still watching the pyro, not even noticing his own erection that Mick saw quite clearly. Mick knew it was just a matter of time. 

Particle Accelerator exploded while he was in Iron Heights, where Mick had remained for the better part of a year. It was actually safer in the Heights at the time as a lot of crazy Metas cropped up all over Central City. He hadn't wanted any part of that. 

By the end of the year, he had enough of his stay and got himself out, tracking down Leonard wherever he happened to be hiding out. Within days, Mick discovered The Flash running around. When he finally found Len, and they had their first encounters with The Flash, Mick knew that it was the kid from the precinct. There was no mistaken them beautiful green eyes, that sparkled far prettier than the largest of diamonds. 

Mick thought the suit was a nice touch. He always liked red, like fire. Seeing how the suit fit like a second skin, so smooth on his lithe body, accentuating all the right assets, caused Mick to heat up way more than usual, way more often. He pointed this out to Leonard one day, who had only hummed in agreement. Mick knew he was thinking, planning, plotting. 

Every encounter with The Flash was a learning experience, gathering data on his powers, how he reacted, how he moved, how he thought, how he looked. Mick enjoyed the hunt, the dance, the eyes, the ass. He never missed a single moment when the front of the tight suit would shudder and form, Mick always making it a point to keep facing The Flash. He enjoyed being the distraction, keeping The Flash's attention as Lenny would fire off his cold gun. All those times he caught the kid along the backside, Mick's own erection grew at seeing The Flash's suit straining against his. It was during those encounters that they realised The Flash liked the cold gun, adding that vital piece of information to their plans. 

As much as he enjoyed the hunt, Mick felt relieved when Leonard finally told him it was time. The last required piece of the plan was acquired: the dampener device that would subdue The Flash's powers. Mick really liked the sound of that. He couldn't wait to hold a struggling Flash in his arms, knowing full well he couldn't escape. 

Pulling his head back, Mick hummed at his handiwork along Barry's arm, silently counting all the bruises, the marks. He had made sure to cover every inch, front and back from shoulder to elbow. He had also left some teeth marks along the elbow. He felt Barry shudder as he turned his forearm, inside up, and trailed his fingers lightly to the wrist. He pressed his tongue into the wrist, licking roughly in the sensitive spot, feeling the tiny bones just under the skin. Upwards he went, adding more bruises and teeth marks. 

Yes, today was indeed a good day. Mick had feared that Barry wouldn't show up, especially when he dashed off right before he reached their place. He felt relieved when Barry did finally appear, and luckily, he was in suit! Mick had hardened up immediately when he held on to the kid. After all this time, all these years of hunting, he finally had his ... _their_ Flash in his grasp. Mick knew Lenny wanted the kid as much as he did, if not more. That was fine; Mick was more than willing to share. They hunted together, so it's only natural they get to devour their meal together. Besides, with the both of them tormenting the kid, they had so many options to explore, so many combined ways to make him shudder, make him pant, gasp, groan, moan, scream and the multiple orgasms were way more than what Mick expected. He and Lenny had never known this piece of information before. Oh yeah, they were getting a lot of new data tonight! 

Finishing the arm, and now nibbling on those slender, tasty fingers, Mick realised his pants were soaked. Glancing down, he saw Barry's cock bouncing as it emptied the last of its load. Raising his eyes back up, he saw the other's were closed, breathing ragged. 

"Not gettin' worn out on us, are ya, kid?" 

No response, which momentarily worried Mick. He glanced at Len and saw his concentration. Looking down Barry's back, he saw the reason why the kid was utterly zoned out. Mick let out one of his best devilish chuckles. He was so focused on Barry's arm and lost in thought that he hadn't noticed that his buddy kicked things up a notch. He adjusted himself, the kid leaning on him more, raising that smooth ass a little higher. 

\----------------------------------------------

Lathering the back up a bit more, Leonard began kneading heavily into Barry's ass. He knew he was causing bruises, especially when his fingers dug right into the flesh. 

As he darkened up the ass, he mouthed lower and lower until he grazed Barry's crack with his tongue. The angle was a bit awkward for him, so he only managed some light flicking. Mick was so lost in his own marking that the pyro hadn't thought about readjusting the kid. That's fine; Leonard was enjoying seeing Barry's arm lathered in bruises. 

Straightening up, he ran his right arm over Barry's, capturing his fingers. Leaning forward, he nibbled against the unmarked neck, causing some very nice moans. Yes, Leonard realised that the groans had turned into serious moans of intense pleasure. All those years of planning was certainly worth it. He savored every moment of the biggest heist of his career. 

Fingers still entwined, he moved Barry's arm until he had the kid grasping the permanently hardened cock. Releasing his fingers, he watched as Barry stroked himself, seeing more pre-cum appear. Leonard breathed heavily in his ear, reaching around to torment the right nipple. He wondered if Barry knew what was happening, or if he was too out of it to register anything. 

"Barry." No response, the kid's eyes were closed, breath heavy. Leonard licked his cheek, seeing the skin ripple beneath. 

"Barry, you with me?" Still no response but Leonard did notice that the hand had paused in its stroking. He nibbled the earlobe. 

Leonard pondered. He wanted to do something, to see how the kid would react, but he needed to get his attention first. He pinched the nipple hard, hearing the gasp, seeing the eyes pop open, although momentarily. It was enough. 

"Barry, you want _more_?" He let his voice purr on that last word and received a full body shudder in response as Barry unleashed another load. 

Grasping his hand, he made sure Barry scooped up some of the fresh cum and raised it to his mouth. Barry sniffed and licked his own hand; his eyes were barely registering anything. 

"Clean your hand good, Barry, and you'll get something nice." 

He chuckled, watching as Barry lapped up his own cum, sucking on his hand, cleaning up every drop. The fingers were soon inserted, one by one. When there were two fingers left, Leonard claimed his hand and sucked them into his own mouth. He heard Barry's hum of pleasure. 

"Where in the world do you get your insatiable hunger from, kid?" He received a white lathered grin in response. He rubbed those coated lips, letting Barry suck on his fingers until both lips and fingers were clean. 

"Alright, can you wiggle a bit?" Leonard gripped Barry's ass, feeling the wiggle but the kid couldn't move much with how Mick was holding him steady. Still, there's a bit more room now. 

Leonard reached his hand down, rubbing along the crack and pressed against the hole. Barry's back straightened, nearly arching, as he thrusted two fingers in. Pleased, knowing that he has Barry's full attention, he reached behind him for the cold gun. 

Breathing in his ear again, Leonard flicked out this tongue giving it a quick swipe. "What I'm about to do next, you need to remember to talk to me. Can you do that?" 

Barry only slightly nodded. Not good enough. 

Removing his fingers, he cupped Barry's chin, turning him toward him. Barry flicked out his tongue, Leonard inserted them. 

"I need words this time, Barry. Not nods, groans, moans, but actual words. Can you do that?" Removing his fingers, he allowed Barry time to breathe, take in the seriousness of his tone. He studied the green eyes, as they slowly regained their focus. Mick had just started in on his wrist. 

"Y'yeah. I'm with you. I'm good. I'm here. Yeah." 

Leonard watched as Barry composed himself a bit more, voice steadying. A little broken up by gasps due to Micks administrations, but the words were solid. 

"Good." He stroked Barry's cheek tenderly. 

"The dampener is staying on," Barry's eyes flew open at that as Leonard continued, "but only because none of us is ready for you to lose your markings yet. We need to enjoy you like this a little bit longer." 

He felt Barry attempt a light giggle, heard his reply. "Y'yeah, I'd like to see them before they disappear." 

"You will, Barry. You most certainly will. Got a nice mirror you can gaze into." 

"Pictures?" 

This kid is unbelievable. "You really want pictures?" 

"Y'yeah. I'd like to remind myself about tonight, how marked up I got." 

He chuckled. "Sure, kid. Pictures wouldn't hurt. They'll be good reference for next time." 

Leonard clearly heard the squeak in Barry's voice, saw the startlement in his eyes. "Next time?!" 

Oh, Barry, you really don't know what you got yourself into, huh? Leonard lightly laughed at the thought. Out loud, he replied, "Of course, next time, Barry. You didn't think that just one session with you, after all those years of planning, would be enough for us, did you?" 

Barry blinked, dumbfounded. "Uhh ... " 

"Look, kid. This was a heist years in the making. Do you regret coming here tonight?" 

"N'no. Of course not." 

"Want to come back? Play some more?" Definitely a loaded question, one not easily answered. Leonard waited patiently as he leaned in close, nuzzling Barry's neck just under his chin, taking in his scent. Delicious. 

He felt the slight dip of the chin. 

"Barry? Use your words." 

He heard him swallow, followed by a very faint word. Oh, he knew what Barry said but the volume wasn't loud enough. 

"Speak up, Barry. Do you want to come back here? Again and again? Let us ravish and torment your body into countless orgasms? Do you want that, Barry? Do you want more markings, turning your entire body black and blue? Want to feel chilled, Barry? Frigid? Cold?" 

"DAMNIT, YES, SHUT UP!" Barry practically screamed at him. "Alright, yes. I'll come back. You guys can do whatever you want. Just, stop talk...ARGH!" Barry orgasmed again much to Leonard's delight. He heard the panting. "The ... more ... you guys tire out, the less heists you can perform." 

"Oh? Is that what this is all about, Barry? You tiring us out for heists? Thought you liked being our prey out there, all our banter, the dance, letting us watch you harden up during our battles." He chuckled at Barry's flush. He continued. "You do have a point, though, Barry. After the heist we pulled today, no other will ever come close. Quite the dilemma. Still, I don't want to eliminate them altogether as I do enjoy ourselves getting it on in public." 

Barry groaned and instantly hardened up again. 

"Besides, I thought you liked it here because you wanted to be here, not just for some devilish scheme of your own. Why are you here, Barry?" 

"I, I ... I ... " 

"There are more letters in the alphabet, Barry. Care to share them?" 

Barry broke out in laughter, which was completely unexpected, but Leonard felt relieved that Barry was feeling more like himself again. He couldn't help wonder what Barry found so amusing. He waited patiently for the speedster to continue. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry's laughter soon subsided, laughter as he remembered the ABCs that landed him here. Catching his breath, he turned his head back to Len's, catching his eyes. 

Wait ... what was the question again? 

Leonard must have saw his confusion as he asked again, "Barry? Why are you here? With us? Tonight? You had an opportunity to dash away when the dampener was off, yet you remained." 

True, Barry thought about that earlier, pondered why he hadn't run off. What could he say? He's not really sure of the words himself. 

"I ... I'm not entirely certain." Barry paused, collecting his thoughts. "I want to come back. I think it's the not knowing what to expect that has me intrigued. I know the mystery won't always be there, but when that time comes, I know you would have done way more than enough to make absolute certain I keep coming back. It's not because you're forcing me to, I know that doesn't sit right with you. But you're making this ... all _this_ ... into an incredible experience that makes me want to come back, because I want to be here. I want to enjoy these new experiences, these new sensations, with you, with Mick. And DAMNIT, LEN! I know you got that blasted cold gun in your hand, I can feel the chill. Hurry up and do something with it!" 

He heard that blasted low laughter, but there was no hint of irritation, only amusement. 

"C'mon, Len," he whined out the words, desperate. "Pretty please?" 

"Fine, since you asked so nicely." 

Barry heard a click and the setting being adjusted. He held his breath in anticipation. 

"One more thing, Barry," Leonard began, but Barry interrupted. 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Use my words, not my heated moans out of immense pleasure, I get it, now move it." 

Barry wasn't sure if he regretted sounding so needy. Soon as the last word came out, his back immediately arched as an intense chill wedged between his ass cheeks. He moaned, loudly. His whole body shuddered as the cold gun was raised higher, gliding over his slick back. He exhaled slowly, feeling every single press of the muzzle. 

Belatedly, he remembered. "I ... ahh ... mmm ... " Barry hissed as he felt a cold trickle run down his spine. "off ... safety ... " 

"Mmm, correct. The safety is off, Barry." 

The cold gun continued gliding around his back which felt ... cold. Barry shivered. "Cold ..." 

"Yes, Barry?" 

Barry tried to think of more words. He pressed against the cold gun. 

"Something you want, Barry?" 

Damnit ... "gin ..." 

"Gin? Thought you couldn't do alcohol, Barry." 

The cold gun lowered, pressed lightly into the very tip of his crack. He wiggled. He needed a word. Taking a deep breath, "Again." 

"Oh! You liked that, huh?" He pressed a little harder, a little lower. "Where would you like it?" 

Barry could barely think, the chill so near his hole has evaporated all rational thinking, whatever he had left. Wait ... that's not right. "Sec ... " 

"Of course, take as much time as you need, Barry." 

Barry felt the cold gun leave his crack and rest lightly on his hip. He took in some deep breaths, clearing his head a bit. He felt Leonard running a hand along his back, softly. Barry needed to control his thoughts, calm himself down. He can't afford any irrationality ... wait, is that even a word? He can't afford to lose control, like he had earlier. 

Barry took a few minutes, breathing in and out, allowing himself to feel the soothing hand on his back. He started feeling Mick again, chewing up his arm. He wondered how long ago he lost that sensation, of Mick darkening up his arm? He shuddered, realising how close to losing himself he came. 

"Barry?" He heard the concern in Len's voice. 

"I'm fine, good. Just needed a moment." Another couple of breaths, he exhaled slowly, gasping at another bruise forming on his arm. Good, he can do this. Focus on Mick, let Leonard send chills through him. He's got this. 

"Ok, I'm ready." 

"Good, you've gotten better, Barry." He flushed at that comment and felt the cold gun move. "Request?" 

Barry knew what he wanted but also knew he wasn't fully prepared, especially with the dampener on. "Press just above the crack, a short trickle." Start small. He's got this. 

The cold gun moved into position, pressed, kneaded, pulled back slightly. 

"Ready?" 

Barry nodded, forcing himself to relax. "Y'yeah." 

His breath caught as the cold ice trickled down into his crack. He felt a finger on his lips and sucked it in. He needed the distraction. He focused on the finger for those long five seconds. Was it only that short? It seemed way longer. 

Barry gasped when the trickle ended, the cold gun removed. Before Leonard could inquire, Barry gave a final suck on the finger. "Fine, fine, fine ..." Okay, suck the finger again, collect his thoughts. "Ok, I'm good, I'm fine, that was ... was ... " Was what? Barry thought another moment, nibbling. Another bruise refocused his attention to Mick. He glanced down, startled at how black he was. He wiggled his ass a bit and felt Len's fingers kneading him. 

Barry exhaled slowly. "Gooooood .... so good." 

"I'm pleased. You're doing very well, Barry." 

"Setting?" He had to know the setting that was at. 

Leonard didn't hesitate. "Just a tad below medium. Request?" 

Barry liked that setting, but felt it was a bit too intense on the first night especially with the dampener field on. 

"Lower, decrease, longer." Could he do this? He believed so. 

"Very well." He heard the setting change. "Lowest setting?" 

Barry nodded. "Y'yeah." 

"Into your crack?" 

Barry thought, deciding to be bold. "Lower. Press against my hole but don't push in, or maybe just right above it." 

"Muzzle's a little too big to fit in that tight hole of yours, Barry." 

Barry shuddered as he felt the cold gun slide down into his crack, and lower until it just barely reached his hole. "Sec, keep holding." 

"Of course." 

Barry took some more breaths, focused back to Mick. "Definitely not the kind of day I expected when I woke up this morning," he let out a giggle. 

"Oh, I don't know. I woke up this morning with every intention of capturing you and brutalising your body. I think the day turned out fairly expected, better actually." 

He heard Len hum. He felt a tiny nudge. He felt another bruise on his arm. He exhaled slowly, inhaled again, and braced himself. 

"Go." 

Barry screamed at the steady cold stream on his currently most sensitive spot. Thankfully, it wasn't near as cold as the earlier trickles. It was better, much more tolerable, invigorating! He gurgled out the last of the scream, his eyes lidded, tongue hanging out. He needed to say something, anything! 

"G...go...ing ..." 

He felt Len's finger again, sucked it in. Focused on sucking to keep his head clear. He let himself feel. Every single ice particle slithered down past his hole, some likely finding entry. The cool stream was beyond all comprehension. Nothing else in the universe could compare. There were no words. No words to describe ... describe ... Mick was sucking his fingers. Lots of fingers. He felt his body shudder into another orgasm. Words no longer existed. 

\----------------------------------------------

Leonard kept the stream going, at its lowest setting. Five seconds, passed. Ten seconds. Barry kept up sucking on his finger. Fifteen seconds. 

He concentrated on Barry's body, watching the ripples, the shudders, how he sucked on Len's finger. He gave Barry another finger, feeling how it was sucked in. Thirty seconds. 

He felt Barry's orgasm, watched how his body reacted during it, and watched the recovery. Forty-five seconds. 

Recovery from the orgasm was going too slow. A finger slipped out, the other barely hanging in, tongue barely moving. Breath sounded too ragged. 

Leonard removed the cold gun just as Barry gave a weak attempt to pull away. Snapping on the safety, he tossed it aside and wrapped his arms around Barry. 

"...ne ... d ..." 

"That's right, Barry, we're done." He nuzzled his speedster's ear. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Mick's voice broke the silence. 

"You owe me a pair of pants, Red." 

Leonard opened his eyes as he felt Barry's back shudder, in laughter. He grinned at Barry's words, "Fuck you, Mick." 

"Try it, brat." 

Leonard nearly lost his balance as Barry lurched forward to kiss Mick. Leaving them to their tumble, he stood up and stretched, grimaced at his own erection. Mick noticed and shoved Barry toward him. Leonard happily accepted the offering and thrusted into Barry's throat, allowed him a moment to swallow, then pressed further down. Within moments he was sending his hot sperm down the delectable throat. 

Pulling out, leaving a messy trail on Barry's lips which dribbled down to his chest, Leonard turned toward the bathroom. He hummed contently as he heard Barry howl, knowing that Mick had plowed right into his chilled hole. 

Passing the dampener on the wall, Leonard flicked it off and headed for the shower. May as well make Mick actually work for his pleasure. He grinned evilly as he heard his buddy gasp and growl as Barry regained strength. Okay, maybe Barry will growl a bit at not getting to see his markings, but Leonard was quite positive that his Flash will forgive him once he sees the video footage. After all, there's always surveillance cameras here. Surely, Barry knew that? 

He shut the door, tuning out Mick's roar. 

\----------------------------------------------

Laying back on the couch, Leonard lazily rubbed his fingers along Barry's nipples. He smiled at every soft moan knowing damn well he caused them. He likes that. This. Taking control of the Scarlet Speedster, his Flash. Leaning forward, he kissed Barry on the forehead, letting his tongue linger on the flesh. Barry sighed, contently. 

"Barry," he spoke softly, not wanting to startle the finally exhausted speedster. 

"Hmm?" Barry looked up at him, smiling sweetly, parting his lips invitingly. Leonard obliged, granting him his fingers. 

"Do you understand what happened today?" A question to start the conversation that needed to be discussed. 

He felt the sucking slow down as Barry pondered the question. Tongue swirled, curling around each finger. Leonard loved how that tongue can curl. He felt his fingers pushed out; he moved his fingers back down to Barry's chest coating both nipples with the speedster's saliva. 

"I do." Barry responded. "I tried to take control of the situation earlier tonight which nearly killed me, could easily have killed me, and in turn, could have really hurt you guys. That ... side-effect was scary. I thought I had it under control, but I started forcing you to use the cold gun again. Each time you noticed, you pulled back, I pushed harder not realising what you were doing." Barry paused, collecting his thoughts. Leonard didn't hurry him. 

"In hindsight, I know fully you were in control of the situation, and it's your duty to make sure my body responds properly. It's also your duty to watch for warning signs, triggers, and to act accordingly." He glanced up at Leonard receiving a smile in return. 

"Correct. You did lose control of yourself, but we brought you back to your senses again." He pinched a nipple, receiving a groan. 

"Guess I'm pretty lucky you know how to do so." 

"Absolutely. And Barry? Anytime you are feeling out of sorts, something is bothering you, or you just need some physical contact, you can always come to me and Mick, right? Communication here is the key." 

"Mmm," Barry parted his lips, tongue draped along his lower lip. Leonard gave it a rub. 

"You understand about the cold gun?" Another serious question. 

"Yeah. Your gun, your rules." He felt Barry sigh, clearly not liking the answer. 

"Do you know why?" 

"Yeah. You know your gun inside and out. You know each of the settings, how the cold comes into contact with objects and flesh, how it forms, crystalizes. You know how low the temperature goes with each setting, the highest setting being absolute zero that can flash freeze. It's a very intense, extremely dangerous weapon, not to be taken lightly." Barry paused again, biting his lip in concentration. 

"That medium setting when I pressed the trigger, it was a nice setting, very intense, but definitely not when the dampener is on. I wouldn't dare try the max setting even with my powers. It's a different story when you're just tormenting my body, gliding the cold gun along every inch of me, pressing into my neck, my nipples, along the thighs, my cock, wedged up in my crack. Quite exhilarating all that. Still ..." Another pause as Barry gazed up into his eyes again. 

"Hmm?" 

"I wouldn't mind trying the lowest setting down my throat, see how it feels. Adjust it higher over time as my body gets used to it." Leonard couldn't help laughing lightly at that innocent smile. 

"We'll talk about it but no dampener when you're deep-throating my gun. Also, as Mick stated earlier, you don't get to solo the cold gun, ever." 

"Yeah, I know. Safety factor and all. I'd also prefer Mick to be around during those times. He's a pretty good back-up guy." Barry grinned impishly. 

"HEY! I ain't nobody's back-up guy!" 

Leonard laughed as Mick entered the room, watching as the pyro stomped over and rammed three fingers down Barry's throat. 

"I takes you just as well as Lenny does, maybe even better. Anything you no like, or feel wimpy about, speak. We's here to ravage you every chance you land yerself in our view. Clear?" 

Leonard watched the drool flow out the side of Barry's mouth as Mick roughly thrusted his fingers. He wasn't sure if Barry actually nodded in understanding or if it was due to the abuse his throat is receiving. 

A cell phone buzzed. 

Leonard picked up the cell that was sitting on the table, seeing who was calling. 

"Cisco." He pressed the Answer button and held the phone to Barry's ear. Cisco spoke so loudly that he heard every word. 

"Barry! Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be out on patrol after that last fire but you never contacted me back." 

A silence, as Mick grinned evilly, stroking Barry's tongue. 

"Barry? Talk to me! Where are you?" 

With a final thrust down his throat, Mick removed his fingers, leaving Barry gasping. 

"Geezes, are you okay? Do I need to come get you? What happened?" 

"Cisco," Barry croaked. He swallowed, trying again. "Cisco, I'm fine. Really. I, uh, lost track of time." 

"Whew, that's a relief. And so NORMAL for you. Seriously, Friday nights are supposed to be spent doing whatever it is you're doing, not patrolling the city chasing down criminals. Right?" 

"Uh ... right." 

"So speak. What were you doing?" 

"CISCO! Sheesh, I was just, lazing around. Was pretty worn out from those fires that I took a nap and ... well ... geeze!" Barry bit his lip as Mick rubbed a nipple. 

"Man, you really are the most boring, normal guy I know." A beep came through the cell phone. "Hold on a sec." 

Barry gasped as Mick changed tactics, now sucking on the nipple. 

"Barry?" 

"M'here." 

"You sure you're okay?" 

Barry attempted to push Mick away but that only resulted in teeth on the nipple, pulling, causing him to harden right up. He heard Mick giggle and felt the gentle pat to the front of his boxers. 

"Barry?" 

"I'm fine, Cisco, really. What was that beep?" Barry regretted the question immediately. 

"Oh, right. It's another fire." 

Barry sighed. "Call the damn fire department. I've had enough heat for one day." Mick thrusted his hand down his boxers, gripping Barry hard, stroking his thumb along the tip roughly. Barry felt his whole body pulse and heat up. 

"The Big Belly Burger, closest to the bridge, it's at risk." 

Mick's head snapped up sharply, catching Barry's eyes. 

Leonard laid there quietly, taking in the conversation. He watched Mick hoist Barry up and pushed him toward the discarded suit still lying on the floor. 

"You still got your suit?" 

Leonard tossed the phone at Barry, watching him fumble both it and the suit. "Uh, yeah, right here. Give me a sec. On my way." Barry cursed, struggling to pull the suit over his erection. 

"I's got you." Mick knelt down and took the cock fully into his mouth, giving a few heavy, long strokes. Leonard will never tire of Barry's expression, his pure-bliss mode, with that devilish tongue hanging out. 

"Barry? Who was that? Are you with some ..." Leonard laughed as Barry hit the End Call button and dropped the phone as he emptied his load down Mick's throat. 

"Thanx, Red! Go and grab us some grub. Needs a bit of extra energy to tear you apart again." Mick shoved Barry toward the door. Leonard watched as Barry pulled the suit fully on, grinning at the wet spot, and watched his Flash zip out the door. 

"You really think you can go another round, Mick?" 

Mick pondered the question, thoughtfully. "Nope, got nothing left in me. Doesn't mean I can't make the kid's head turn to mush again. Dunno what his limit is. Think we'll ever find out?" 

"Hmm," Leonard thought about Barry's insatiable hunger and shook his head. "Doubt it, not anytime soon at least." 

"Mmm, would be fun to try and find his limit. Think he'll continue hanging out with us?" 

Leonard had to grin at that. "Absolutely. The Flash is ours after all. We ruined his delicious body for everyone else. He'll never be satisfied if he wanders." 

"If he wanders," Mick growled, "I'll hunt him down, slap a damp'ner collar around his neck, and haul his ass back here. Lock him up, make sure he doesn't leave for a week, maybe a month." 

"I believe you. Let's make it a year to lock him up." 

"Think how tickled pink he'd be, not having to rescue any blue furballs for at least a year." Mick's grin grew at the thought. 

Leonard laughed, enjoying Mick's humour. Gazing after his pyro as he wandered off, he knew Mick was right. If Barry ever did wander, they would track him down and remind him who he belongs to. 

Leonard had adored the kid since the day they met, long before the Particle Accelerator exploded, having seen Barry at the precinct during each of Len's visits. For years he had fantasized of wrecking the kid utterly and completely. After the explosion, and Barry had woken up as The Flash, Leonard thoroughly enjoyed their encounters. Pulling heists used to be his job; they soon turned into the best entertainment he's had in years, trading banter and dancing with The Flash, flirting, enticing him. Every night he had gone home, fantasizing over the slim figure in that extremely tight outfit, hugging his ass, every line of his body. Making many plans on how to capture him and make him his. 

Closing his eyes, he smiled satisfyingly, at finally having conquered the Scarlet Speedster. He'll be back. Leonard was quite certain of that fact. Moments later, he drifted off into a blissful sleep, listening to the pitter patter of rain on the roof. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has taken a much darker turn than I expected. Still, I'm pleased with how it turned out and especially how things worked out for the better for all three.
> 
> There's a possibility of more chapters in the future but they are not a priority at this time. However, if there's enough interest then I can certainly plan and make time to write extra chapters.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Edit Dec 8th:  
> Lots more chapters have indeed happened! Thank you all for checking out my story!
> 
>  
> 
> Characters:  
> Barry Allen (Flash)  
> Central City's greatest hero, got his powers from the Particle Explosion 3 years ago. He was in a coma for 9 months and has been The Flash for a little over 2 years now. Does his best to juggle life, work, and Flash duty. Also CSI at the CCPD.
> 
> Leonard Snart  
> Leader of the Rogues, has a cool demeanor, extremely smart, excellent tactician. Currently at that time in life where he wants something more than just pulling heists.
> 
> Mick Rory  
> Brutish tough guy who is more than what he appears and Leonard's partner in all things. Loyal with a pure heart, he helps look out for their closest friends and has found ways to keep himself occupied when not pulling heists.
> 
> Cisco Ramon  
> Tech Engineer at STAR Labs, he creates The Flash's gear. Fascinated by all things geek, he takes interest in the newest creatures prowling the City.
> 
> Captain David Singh  
> Captain of the Central City Police Department. Very trustworthy and damn good at his job, has the best precinct in the City.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summons leads to an abandoned movie night but is soon interrupted by a phone call and later by Flash duty. Thieves prove their skills and Barry is awed by revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as intense as the first chapter, I focus more on setting groundwork for future chapters. This chapter will reveal how interruptions can be quite annoying. I also wanted to show more of how willing and trusting Barry is toward his Rogues, even when out on Flash duty. I especially wanted to show that Len and Mick know the importance of Barry's work, both at the CCPD and Flash stuff. Hopefully this chapter will clear up any possible Consensual concerns.
> 
> One thing I feel the need to mention is that there will be zero Suicidal thoughts in these chapters. Also, when interacting with his Rogues, Barry will always give consent. Len and Mick had never intended to rape the speedster as that thought doesn't sit well with them at all. They are cautious, and always watching Barry closely to make sure he's okay every step of the way. They will push Barry, poke and prod, all part of the fun, but never with any ill intention.
> 
> In the meantime, enjoy this relaxing chapter. Thank you for all the views and comments on Chapter 1.
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Drug trafficking but not much, no specific details. There is also a heated, very angry moment but I don't allow it to get far.
> 
>  
> 
> February 2019 Update:  
> Fixed up some spelling and grammar issues. Added in Char Notes.  
> Initial intent was to have zero suicidal thoughts but things kinda happen in later chapters as more plot and sub-plots emerge. However, none is in present day. Each future chapter is marked with Warnings.

**\-- Flash Play --**   


"I tell ya, man, something is definitely different." 

"Hmm?" Barry Allen looked back over his shoulder as his best friend, Cisco Ramon, entered the Jitters right behind him. Turning his attention forward again, he gazed around. "Seems like the same ol' Jitters to me." 

"Barry!" Cisco lightly punched him on the shoulder. 

Barry couldn't help but laugh at his friend's annoyance. They've been buds for years now, ever since the Particle Accelerator exploded. They hung out all the time, had movie and gaming nights, and talked about anything and everything. Anytime Cisco had a date with some random person, Barry got every single detail ... every explicit detail, many details that Barry really didn't want to know. Yup, they were totally buds and he wouldn't change their friendship for anything. 

Because they were buds, Cisco noticed things about Barry and never failed to prod relentlessly until he either figured it out himself or Barry gives in and tells him. As for what Cisco wanted to know, _this_ time, Barry hasn't the foggiest. 

"Whatever it is, it's likely your imagination, Cisco. I swear, there's nothing different about me." Barry sighed at the long line-up and pondered whether they should head to a different Jitters. 

"I dunno, 'bout that, man. You've been acting all creepy-weird like, since the night of the fires." 

Barry faltered in his step as he half-turned toward his friend. "Cisco, the only reason I would have seemed different was because you called me out into a rainstorm. There was no fire at the Big Belly Burger. I was annoyed at getting soaked." 

"Hey, how else was I supposed to get a late-night snack? I certainly wasn't going out there. For the record, the bag was really soggy when you got back." 

"Yet you still ate everything, bolted it all down faster than I ever could." Barry didn't mind this banter as it kept Cisco away from the one topic he didn't want to talk about. 

"Good, yes, but still soggy, Barry." Cisco gave him a searching look. 

"Soggy bags happen in the rain, Cisco. You don't need a science degree to figure that one out." Barry sighed, wondering what his friend could possibly be getting at. 

"Most people get soggy bags in the rain, Barry. We're not most people. What's with you? That's the first time I got soggy bags in a long time. You normally can outrun the raindrops. Soggy bags never happen!" 

Barry paused, turning to face Cisco, realising he had a point. It's true; whenever Barry is sent out for food, no matter where in the world (literally) he gets it from, the bags have always arrived in pristine condition, full of piping hot food, no matter the weather. Come to think of it, he had been feeling a bit sluggish that night when Cisco called. 

"Huh," was all he could say, lost in thought. Was his speed still down? Or has it cleared up in the last few days? He pondered what could have caused the slow reaction. 

"Maybe before our movie marathon, we can check the numbers ... Barry? You've just turned ghastly pale." 

Of course he did. Barry was reflecting back on that night as he was enduring extensive usage of a very unique cold gun. What if there really was a fire? What if he really had slowed down? What if ... 

He heard Cisco hiss and step away as Barry felt someone behind him, immediately behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Barry felt heated as Mick Rory glowered down at him. Time seem to have slowed right down as they locked gazes. He couldn't breathe as all the images from that night flashed through his memory, all the heated moments, the cold torture. His body trembled and Barry knew it wasn't from fear; it was from anticipation. 

As time resumed, he heard Mick say a single word, "Six." 

Barry immediately felt a heavy nudge below the waist, a slow grind, and he stumbled forward as Mick passed him, heading out the door. Cisco caught him, righting his balance, seething. 

"Asshole. What the hell was that bastard doing here? You okay, Barry? You're way paler, now. Did he scare you? Wanna lie down?" 

Barry tuned Cisco out as he pondered what Mick could have possibly meant. Six? Six what? He had no idea. Or did he? Glancing at his watch, he saw it was 5:30. 

"Barry! You okay? C'mon, let's get out of here." He felt Cisco steering him toward the door. 

Once outside, Barry took a few breaths, clearing his head. "I'm fine, I'm fine." 

"No, you really don't look fine, Barry. You're sweating. Maybe we should cancel. C'mon, I'll take you home." 

Barry tried to fend him off, but how could he possibly tell Cisco that he wasn't sick, that his paleness, the heat in his body, his stumbling, was actually his body demanding to be elsewhere? He shuddered with the need, as Cisco pushed him into the car and drove him back home. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Think he got the message?" Leonard Snart inquired of his pyro as the other sat down beside him where he was watching the surveillance camera at Jitters. Thanks to his precious hacking buddy, Leonard was able to keep track of their Flash during the last few years which helped him immensely with his plans. 

Mick Rory grinned at him, watching the feed rewind and play again from when Mick came up behind Barry. The camera that was tapped into had provided the best angle; just above and to the side, where it was very clear what Mick was up to. Catching the pyro as he had pressed his groin against Barry's lower back, thrusting forward letting the kid feel his erection, a slow short grind before Mick nearly barreled over him to exit the building. Cisco hadn't noticed, and likely nobody else had, but that camera picked up every detail. 

"Yeah, made sure of it." Mick laughed. 

Leonard hummed, watching the footage and how pale Barry had become, taking note of the speedster's pants rustling. Oh, yes, definitely worthy information that he plans to make good use of in the future. 

"Is the trap set?" 

Mick hadn't replied right away, causing Leonard to turn his head toward him, seeing the other's intense gaze on the screen and lightly pawing his own erection. 

"Mick? Should save that for when he gets here." 

Mick grunted, pulling his hand away. "Trap's set. Soon as he phases through, he's clamped up good." 

"Good." Standing up, he headed toward the shower as he wanted to freshen up. Tonight was going to be interesting. 

\----------------------------------------------

Stepping out of the shower, Barry groaned at the time, 5:55. He zipped around his one-bedroom apartment, tossing clothes around as he tried to figure out what to wear. Not that it really mattered as he would no doubt be completely naked soon after arrival. 

He felt a twinge of guilt. Tonight, he and Cisco were doing their annual Star Wars movie marathon; this year there were ten movies to get through, including the stand-alone ones. Yes, they hold movie nights at least twice a month, often three, but Star Wars was an annual thing ever since the Particle Accelerator exploded. With his duties as The Flash, and Cisco's duties as the nerdy engineer that comes up with tech and created the suit, both had agreed that they needed some nights to unwind, relax, and forget everything except for X-Wing vs TIE Fighter battles, and whatever other movies they happen to choose. 

With the recent summer heat and the fires, with more cropping up over the past few days, they really needed a breather on this overcast, cloudy day. Barry had wondered if the fires were truly from careless people, or if there was a firebug in town. The CCPD figured it was just the summer heat. Cisco had commented that maybe Mick Rory was bored. Barry remembered having laughed a little shakily, feeling a tightness in his pants, and feeling grateful his buddy hadn't noticed. 

5:58 

Crap! Tossing on a plain red tank and slightly tight jeans, he zipped down to the South-East curve of the river below the Central-Keystone bridge. 

Barry made a mental note to make it up to Cisco as they really needed their movie night. Mick appearing at Jitters put a damper on those plans as he remembered what the pyro had told him last time. Anytime either Mick or Leonard caught sight of Barry, then it's their right to ravage his body. 

Barry felt his jeans tighten as he appeared outside their door. He wondered how long his cell phone was sitting at 5:59. Without bothering to knock, he phased through the door . . . 

. . . only to be caught in some device that clamped around his neck, his upper torso and arms, another across the waist that also caught his wrists, and a fourth clamp just below the knees. He hit the floor hard, realising his powers have been knocked out. Groaning, he turned his head, tasting blood from the cut lip. Thankfully he hadn't smashed his nose. He really didn't care to bleed out on the floor. 

Within moments, Barry heard a soft whistling and thick feet appeared in his vision. He felt a hand on the back of his collar, pulling him up to meet his captor, inches from his face. He shivered as a tongue ran over his cut. 

"Heya, Red, nice of you to show up on time. Boss will be thrilled!" 

Stumbling, Barry let himself be pulled along behind Mick as the pyro kept a tight grip on his collar. He couldn't actually walk with the clamp around his calves. Entering the big room, he felt himself shoved forward, hitting the floor. He was better prepared this time, landing on his side rather than his face. 

"Well, well, look what came for a visit." 

Barry shifted his gaze upward to find Snart ... Len standing above him wearing only dark blue pants, gazing down at him. He shuddered as those ice blue eyes took him in, slowly gliding over his body. He felt the other bend down, cupping his cheek, running a thumb lightly over his cut. 

"Hmm, what brings you here tonight, Barry?" 

Huh? Barry blinked up into those cool eyes. "Mick said ..." 

"Mick only gave you a number, Barry. A number that could have meant any number of things. For all you knew, he could have been giving you a pet name, while out in a public place." 

Barry blushed at that moment, when Mick had pressed into his ass at Jitters. He felt Len run fingers lightly along his exposed neck, trailing down his arm. 

"Uh, I thought ... “ Thought what? Mick had meant 6 o'clock, right? For him to be here? 

"You assumed, Barry. I'm quite certain you had other plans tonight but one look at Mick, and you naturally assumed you had to be here. Why is that, Barry? Why have you abandoned Cisco to come here tonight?" 

Why, indeed? "I, uh ... " he hissed at the hand that was kneading his stomach, right above the clamp. He felt his jeans tighten more. 

"Barry?" 

Barry lightly cursed. "We can do our movie marathon another night. With the fires this week, and running ragged on fumes, I needed to relax, unwind." 

"Hmm, isn't that what your movie nights are for, Barry? To help you relax, unwind?" Len was now stroking his thigh. 

Barry bit back a groan. "Yeah, but I needed ..." he unleashed that groan as Len dug his fingers into his thigh, through the fabric, and began kneading. 

"Needed what, Barry?" 

Needed to get these damn, cursed jeans off him. Aloud, he replied, "Needed more than just a movie night. Something more ... physical." 

"What, Cisco not up to the task of giving you what you need?" Barry gasped as Len palmed him, rubbing his thumb heavily along his erection. "Surely he would have some useful tech to use on you." 

Barry groaned deeply at that, although not entirely sure from what. The thought of having various tech used on him? The thought of Cisco using that tech on him? The thought of Cisco actually knowing what his body needed? Or maybe it was Len having unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, now rubbing his naked cock. He hadn't bothered with his boxers, didn't have time to find a clean pair. He seriously needed to have a laundry day. 

"You haven't told your friend, your _very best friend_ , about your new nightly activities, have you, Barry?" 

"N'nooo," Barry hissed as Len tugged on his brutally hard cock. 

"Mmm, keeping us a secret, then? I think I like that, us being your secret lovers, that can provide everything your body craves, and more. Imagine what Cisco would think, you being in the clutches of your nemeses, all tied up, groaning and moaning obscenely loud, wanting us to plunge whatever we have handy into your hungry hole and your mouth." 

Barry moaned, obscenely and loud, as Leonard thrusted two fingers into his hole for emphasis. "Fuck, Len!" 

"Hmm?" 

"I ... I ... " what? His body shuddered, feeling the first orgasm of the night coming on. He leaned his head back as his body tensed, eyes glazing over, but the fingers were removed before he can go over the edge. He cursed. 

"What do you want, Barry? Why haven't you told Cisco?" 

Barry sighed, feeling his body coming down from the near-high. "He wouldn't understand. If he found out, Cisco would be more likely to turn you guys in once he got the information out of me of where to find you. He'd tell Joe, and that's a conversation I don't ever want to have. Joe would make certain that you ended up dead, rather than tossed into Iron Heights. Kinda difficult getting fucked by a ghost, wouldn't you think?" He couldn't help it, putting on that impish grin as he gazed up into those sparkling eyes. He was rewarded with those damp fingers thrusting into his mouth. He sucked them greedily, uncaring where they just were. 

Len chuckled. "Such a big heart even for a pair of criminals, Barry. You never cease to amaze me." 

Barry grinned, pulling his head back a bit so he could speak, the fingers resting lightly on the tip of his tongue. "Only for two criminals. Don't care about all the others." He sucked the fingers back in again, felt a third one enter. He groaned deeply as they thrusted faster, harder, against the back of this throat. 

"Good. We plan to mark you up quite thoroughly that will make all the other criminals run away. Make them all know exactly who you belong to. Even if they can't see your blackened body, and the marks disappear, you will still feel them as the memory will be branded permanently in your mind. Your body will instinctively reject everyone out there, and will also twitch automatically at certain words and situations. When I'm on the scene, the other criminals will see how your body reacts so obscenely, how you arch toward me. That will be the proof of who your body belongs to." 

Barry moaned louder, feeling his body unleash into a torrent, soaking his jeans completely. Who knew that he could come so hard by words alone? Glancing at Len again, he saw the familiar impish smirk. Yeah, Len definitely knew. 

A cell phone buzzed, causing his tormentor to curse. He watched as Len got up to retrieve the intruding object, flicking it on, barking out a "WHAT?!" He flinched at the tone. 

As Len stepped away, Barry worried. He watched as several emotions flicked across Len's face; anger, concern, worry, rage. He couldn't hear the words as Len spoke quietly. 

Barry felt the leg clamps removed, along with the one around his waist and torso. He didn't concern himself with the one left around his neck as it didn't hinder his movements at all. He turned his gaze toward Mick who was rubbing his wrists, making sure the blood flowed normally. 

"FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Len threw the cell phone at the wall, cracking it. 

Barry flinched at the sound, and trembled as a very angry Len turned to him. Mick noticed and stood up before he reached them, standing in front of Barry, blocking him from view. 

\----------------------------------------------

Mick acted immediately, at seeing the rage coarsing through his buddy's body. The fury rarely happens anymore, but when it does, Mick knew damn well how badly things would get. Not something the kid needed to see. 

Standing up, he forced Len to look at him, and not Barry, standing close to make damn sure he kept his gaze. 

"Len, what is it?" Mick growled, taking control. 

"Out of the way, Mick." Len glared right back at him. 

"No." Mick crossed his arms, standing his ground. 

"Damnit, Mick!" Len pushed him but Mick didn't move. 

When he made a fist, and attempted to slug him, Mick neatly caught his arm, turned him around and shoved him at the couch. Pulling the arm back and up, Mick dug his knee into Len's back. 

"Damnit, yerself, asshole. Get a grip on yerself." Mick didn't let up the pressure as his buddy tried to wrench himself free. 

After a few minutes, he felt Barry come up beside him. He turned his gaze to the kid, not letting up his pressure on Len, watching as he entered Len's view. 

"Len? What happened?" Barry spoke softly which, to Mick's amazement, released some of the tension in the wiggling body beneath him, calming him. Mick eased up on the pressure, letting him slowly get up into a sitting position. 

"Nothing," Len spat out. 

Barry slapped him, the impact ringing loudly in Mick's ears, freezing him in place as he watched the kid grip Len's chin, forcing him to look at him. He never knew the kid could be so forceful. 

"That wasn't _nothing_ , Leonard. That call pissed you off and I need to know, what happened?" 

"Need?! This is nothing to concern yourself with, Barry." 

Barry dug his fingers into the skin causing Len to flinch. "You're angry, that concerns me. That call, that concerns me as it made you angry. You're going to tell me what the fuck is going on or I'll get Mick to remove this collar and I will _make_ you tell me. Clear?" Barry had leaned in so close that Mick feared he would remove Len's nose with his teeth if he chose to do so. 

Mick shuddered, stepping back, but keeping a close eye on them, ready to step in if needed. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry forced himself to remain calm as he tightly gripped Len's chin, sinking his nails into the skin. Damn that Len. Didn't he realise that there's no place for raging fury here? Barry had to get him to talk before he hurt himself, hurt Mick, hurt Barry. There's no way Barry would let Leonard do that to any of them. 

"Talk." He growled, low, demanding. 

Barry watched the emotions in the other's eyes until he felt him shudder and calm under his grip. He cupped him gently, feeling Len lean into his hand, hearing the ragged exhale of breath. He didn't pull away as Len reached up to grasp his wrist. 

"Sorry," came the softly spoken word. 

Barry lowered himself down onto the couch, wrapping his arms around Len. "What happened?" 

It was a few moments of listening to him breathe before Len spoke. 

"The room was raided." 

Barry heard Mick's hiss as the pyro came up beside him. 

"Who?!" he growled out the question. Barry didn't know what was going on. Who raided what room? 

"Not sure, but I've a pretty good idea." 

"Fuckers," came the heated comment. 

"Um, guys? What room? What's going on?" 

Len blinked at him, as if only now realising Barry was there. It was Mick that answered. 

"Our boy's room was raided, he gots hurt, again, but luckily them bastards din't get their bloody way with him." Mick seethed. 

"Boy?" They had another one? Like him? Barry didn't know how to take that information. 

"Don't confuse him, Mick," Len growled out, straightening up. "Look, Barry. Damnit," Len had gripped his chin, locking his eyes on him. Barry must have looked stressed, hurt, confused. 

"Mick is referring to a friend of ours, a close friend. He's not like you, not a single bit, and has never been in the position we have you in. You've been the only one for us, and will be the only one for as long as you care to be. Do you understand?" 

Barry felt those words penetrate to his very core, calming him instantly. He nodded. "Y'yeah. Got it." He felt Len wrap his own arms around Barry, holding him close. 

"Hartley hasn't ... " 

Barry sat straight up. "Hartley?!" He knew Hart. Very well. He hadn't seen him in over a year. "Is he okay? Where is he?" 

Len seemed baffled by his concern but continued. "He's fine, for now. Barry?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Damnit, he needed to know. "What happened, Len?" 

\----------------------------------------------

Not understanding this sudden interest, Leonard took a moment to collect his thoughts. Had Barry known Hartley before the abduction? He couldn't recall any of their encounters. Hearing the intensity in his voice, Leonard decided to tell him. 

"Little over a year ago, Hartley was summoned over to the West side. Nobody knew what the message was or from whom, aside from the Rogues. The message wasn't important as it was of a personal nature, a private matter for Hart. He insisted on being able to take care of himself so we ... I let him go." He clenched a fist at the memory. 

"Turned out to be a trap. The one he was supposed to be meeting with, wasn't anywhere around. Most likely sound asleep in his own bed, considering the hour. The bastards jumped him, beat him, hurt him in every way imaginable. They stole him, keeping him hidden away." 

He saw the pain in Barry's eyes, the shock, the rage, the concern. He continued. 

"For months we couldn't get a lead on Hart, where they were holding him. It was only three months ago when a friend of ours came back to Central City. Soon as he checked in, I sent him out to find Hart. He's a bounty hunter, the best damn one in all of Central. If anyone could find him, he could." 

"He found him? He found Hart?" 

Leonard barely heard the words as Barry spoke so quietly. He cupped the side of his face, stroking his thumb gently along his cheek. Barry leaned into his palm, holding his gaze. 

"Yeah. Within the week, Kyle found him. Details aren't important but none of them bastards are alive." 

He felt Barry's relief, although he wasn't sure if it was at having found Hartley, or the dead bastards, or both. 

"Three months ... " Barry began. 

"Yeah, we got him back just under three months ago. He's been in recovery ever since, daily physical therapy and mental." 

He heard and felt the sharp inhale. "And now?" 

Leonard rubbed his eyes, willing the images away. "He was in pretty bad shape, I won't explain the details. Right now, he's much improved, physically. He's able to move about now but he's still skittish, and the abuse still too fresh in his memory to allow many outings. We keep him under guard at all times so he won't hurt anyone or himself." 

He paused, silently grateful that Kyle had insisted on staying by Hartley's side. 

"The raid?" 

Leonard sighed, not liking this bit at all. "Hartley was undergoing another treatment, getting some meds through the IV, resting. Them bastards found him, killed the doc as he stepped out for a moment. They somehow had knowledge of Kyle being with him and attempted to take him out, nearly succeeding." 

Mick chuckled. "That's our Kyle. No matter if youse got perfect info on the guy, he'd still take out every dirty bastard that dares step in view. Y'd be dead a'fore he finished turning his head in yer direction." 

Barry shuddered. "Is he ... are they okay?" 

Leonard nodded. "Hart got a few bruises, the IV wrenched out of him in the scuffle, but he's okay. Kyle had to pluck out a few bullets but he's also fine. Pissed but good." 

Barry paled but quickly flustered as Leonard leaned in to kiss him. "I am sorry I scared you. The situation scared me and I wanted nothing more than to lash out, wishing them bastards were in my sight." 

He felt Barry kiss him on the forehead, tenderly. "It's fine," he heard Barry catch himself, correcting his words. "No, it's not fine but I understand. I really do understand. Oh gods, knowing Hartley had been ... had been ... damnit, I wish I had known!" 

Startled at the raw emotion in that wail, Leonard regained his attention. "Barry, there was nothing you could have done. We couldn't even find him. You don't even know Hartley." 

"I could have helped with the search, paid closer attention when I was out on patrol, and damnit, I did know Hartley. He's a good guy. Knew him before all those damn Metas popped up, and even had a couple of encounters with him before dealing with you. Damnit, Leonard, why hadn't you told me?" 

Leonard's memory snapped into focus at those few times Hartley had joined them out in the field, and how the kid had come back with a few bruises and a cut lip, but no broken bones. He hadn't realised that The Flash caused those injuries as Hart never revealed how he had gotten them. Seeing as the damage was minimal, nothing much to concern himself with, he never once thought that The Flash touched him. After all, Leonard always felt the speedster's full punches. 

"I hadn't told you as I never knew your connection to him." He barely got the words out, still lost in the memories. 

Barry pulled him in close, wrapping his arms around him. He felt the hot breath on his ear, the soft nibbles on his lobe that relaxed him further. 

"They're safe now?" the quiet question. 

Leonard nodded. "Yeah, they're back at the Rogue base, resting. They'll be safe enough tonight." 

"Hmm," Barry leaned back and kissed him. When the lips pulled back, Barry remained, lightly breathing into his still open mouth. 

"Hmm?" Len inquired, encouraging Barry to speak this thought. 

"Mmm!" Barry devoured his lips again, sucking and biting. Leonard let him as he trailed his own hand down the speedster's crack, receiving a buck of the hips in return. Obliging, he inserted a finger into that tight hole. 

"Text from Hart," Mick spoke up. "Says they'll come here this weekend." 

"Good. You did tell him that he doesn't need to wait for the weekend?" Watching Barry closely, Leonard inserted another finger and thrusted fast, lightly poking the prostate each time. He listened to the sounds of pleasure until a string of curses came, then pulled out before pushing Barry over the edge. 

"Yeah. Says he din't want to interrupt our activities." Mick pulled Barry up and began biting his neck. Leonard remained sitting, watching, listening to the whimpers, cataloguing each one into his memory. 

After a few minutes of watching Mick darken up Barry's neck and down to the shoulder, curiosity got the better of him. As much as he enjoyed watching Barry standing there in a thin tank top with his pants removed, being ravaged by Mick's mouth and teeth, he needed to know what was on the kid's mind. 

"Barry?" 

"AHHHHhhhhhng?" Mick had just sunk his teeth into the other side of Barry's neck. He had to smile at that sound, pleased that he was still focused enough to listen. 

"What was on your mind? That thought you had." He watched as Barry tilted his head in thought, which also gave Mick better access. 

"Hmmmssssss!" Barry hissed as Mick had run a hand up his shirt to pinch (and hold) a nipple. "Gahhh ... base." 

Ah. Leonard understood. "You're wondering why we don't stay at the Rogue Base with the others." Barry could only nod. 

It was Mick that answered, straightening up, pressing Barry into his chest, playing with both nipples. "Privacy. They's a loud, annoying bunch o' whiners. We likes the quiet down here, helps to think, sleep. River is nice." 

"Ahhhng. Makes sense." Leonard could practically hear another thought forming and waited patiently for Barry to continue. 

"Somehow I doubt they'd appreciate having The Flash know where their base is. Plus, wouldn't be a good idea for them to actually know who I am?" Was that ... yes, an inquiry especially with the way Barry looked at him. 

"They don't know, Barry, no worries about that. You're correct though, that's not a place I want you to be as the little they know about you, the better I feel." 

"Goooooood," Barry replied, relieved, as Mick was stroking his erection. 

"Yer ours and we ain't sharing. Them blokes would hurt you so we's keeping you here." For emphasis, Mick had squeezed, hard, which caused Barry to let out a loud moan as his body pulsated with his release. 

"Mmm, tasty." Mick was licking his fingers clean as Leonard stood up. "We's should check that building." 

"Hmm?!" 

Leonard cut off Barry's inquiry as he leaned in with a deep kiss, thrusting his tongue inside. He began to ponder which sounds he liked most as the "inquisitive" sounds are becoming more frequent. He's pleased that Barry is becoming more able to concentrate on both him and Mick at the same time, able to focus on the conversation. 

Pulling back, Leonard listened to the heated pants. He licked the sides of Barry's lips before answering. 

"There's a building a bit to the west of here. Larger than this one. We were planning on checking it out this evening." 

He stepped away after seeing Barry's nod. "Grab your pants," he continued, heading for the door, Mick right behind him. 

Leonard smiled at the thud. Without turning around, he knew that Barry stumbled as he hastily retrieved his jeans, fumbling them on. Nothing new, but still entertaining. Very much so. 

\----------------------------------------------

Feeling a bit flustered (ok, way flustered!) at this sudden announcement of heading out, Barry struggled into his jeans, groaning as the fabric pressed tightly into his sensitive erection. Yes, still fully hard. He silently cursed himself for his choice of pants. 

He sighed at being unable to hide the dampness on his shirt. Mick had pointed his erection upwards so his shirt caught some of his release. There's no tucking the shirt in as the pants ended below his button, and the shirt above. Definitely enticing, but he hadn't expected to go out. 

Zipping up, he dashed out behind his Rogues.   


Five minutes later, after being bombarded by countless bite marks, some of which actually came from mosquitos, Barry found himself standing outside a three-storey building. He twitched at a final squeeze to his ass, feeling the nails dig into the flesh, and drag along as the hand exited his pants. 

"Mmm, li'l run down but the foundation and structure look solid." Barry gazed around, noting a few cracked windows but no noticeable cracks in the foundation. 

As he followed Len toward the front door, Barry paused, noticing a flicker in an upper window. They must have noticed his apprehension, possibly heard his sharp inhale of breath, as he felt his powers suddenly return. 

Without thinking, Barry zipped into the building ahead of his Rogues, scouting each floor. He found one guy on the stairs carrying a duffel bag. He swiftly knocked him out, tossing him by the door. Nothing on the second floor but he found two more guys on the third. One had just aimed a gun at him, not even getting the chance to fire off a shot before Barry dismantled the weapon and knocking him unconscious. 

The final guy was sitting on the floor surrounded by bags and a notebook. Barry winced at the number of blocks of whatever drug they were dealing with. Noting the several different colours, it was definitely not just the one kind. Before the guy could take in his appearance, Barry knocked him out as well. He really didn't want these guys to be able to recognise him. That would lead to questions he really didn't want to answer. 

He heard a long whistle behind him. 

"Daaaaaamn, dey's be busy." 

"Wonder how long they've been using this place." Barry heard the low growl in Len's voice and understood the concern. Having criminals dealing in drugs, especially this close to where they lived, was never a good idea. He shuddered at the thought, feeling Len's protective arm around his waist. 

"Jes the three?" Mick inquired as he poked his head into a room. 

Barry nodded. "Y'yeah, three, currently. There are rooms with bedding material that suggests more than three." He felt Len nuzzle into his neck, feeling the warm breath. 

"Likely more of dem bastards coming." 

Right on cue, sirens appeared right out front and Barry took a moment to realise that they weren't quite the bastards Mick was referring to. Hearing the heavy footfalls on the stairs, "Crap!", Barry shoved Len and Mick into the room that Mick had poked his head into. 

Glancing at his shoulder, he felt relief at the faded marks, no longer quite so noticeable. He pulled the door shut just as Detective Joe West arrived at the top of the stairs, followed by three men. Barry felt himself pale, frozen in place, as Joe, his adopted father, glared at him. 

"Barry." 

"Joe." 

He watched as Joe glanced around, seeing the two guys unconscious on the floor, and headed over to him. He's gotta try to explain his presence here, but Joe spoke up before he could. 

"Out exploring, just happened to stumble upon these guys?" A little quieter, meant only for Barry's ears, Joe continued. "Forget your suit?" 

Shit. Barry had momentarily forgotten his attire. "Uh ..." 

"Relax, Barr. I'm not angry." Joe had turned away just then to bark out some orders to search the place and clear it out. 

"What brought you here, Joe?" A good question. Barry knew the CCPD wouldn't have been down there without a reason. 

"A lead. We busted some of their friends along the west side, and this was one of the places they named." 

Ah, that made sense. Barry watched as several guys packed up the drugs and CSI Jimmy poking around collecting samples. A good-looking guy with wavy dark hair, Jimmy was in his early thirties and about the only other CSI that Barry got along with, the others being snotty arrogant bastards. 

Jimmy came over and poked around Barry's clothing. Barry marveled at how serious Jimmy took his duties, looking over everything quite thoroughly. He never minded when the older CSI looked him over. 

"Touch anything?" 

Barry shook his head. "No. Briefly touched the three guys, checking their pulse but that was it." It's true. He did check their pulses, after knocking them out of course. 

Jimmy nodded, his warm brown eyes catching his. Barry caught the hint of a smile as the other turned away, continuing to roam around. 

"All clear up here, boss!" 

Joe acknowledged the comment and sent his men down to finish sweeping the second floor. Barry suddenly panicked as Joe turned back to him with a hand reaching out. 

"Just need to check this room and we'll be gone in a few minutes. Barry?" 

Damn! "Uh, it's fine, Joe. Room's clear, you can go now." 

He saw Joe raise a questioning eyebrow at him and Barry knew that there was no stopping Joe. He felt himself being pushed aside, watched helplessly as Joe placed a hand on the doorknob, turning it, pushing the door open. He held his breath as Joe stepped in, hand still on the door, looking around. He felt his foot shake in anxiety as Joe paused, glared, and sighed heavily. He felt a hand on his arm, squeezing lightly which calmed him down as Joe closed the door. 

They stood staring at each other for what felt like two minutes before Joe broke the silence. 

"Room's clear, nothing for you to do in there." 

Barry blinked, only realising that Jimmy was standing next to him as Joe's comment was directed at the CSI. 

"Just as well," Jimmy replied. "Got more than enough from this area alone to work with. Plus, the other two floors." With a final squeeze, and fingers trailing down his own, Barry watched as Jimmy pulled away and headed downstairs. 

"Barr?" 

"Umm ..." Barry really had no explanation, at least, not regarding his co-worker's attention toward him, nor the two Rogues in that room, nor his presence here in the first place, and definitely no explanation for the shirt he's wearing. He sighed. 

"C'mon, I'll drop you off at STAR Labs. Still have one more of these places to check plus there's an unsettled air about the North-West area, making my men skittish." 

"Okay." Barry silently cursed at this interruption but knew that duty comes first. Following Joe down the stairs, he hoped his Rogues would understand. He sighed, switching his focus completely on his upcoming patrol. 

\----------------------------------------------

Leonard had stumbled into the vacant room, hearing the door click shut behind them, Mick's broader frame preventing his fall. He cursed softly at the interruption as he scanned the room. 

A small room, completely empty. No bed, no table, no chair. Not even a scrap of fabric. Only dust. Barry mentioned that other rooms looked like they had been slept in but this room had no sign of anyone using it, not on a regular basis anyway. 

"Small." Mick spoke quietly from behind him. 

Leonard nodded, knowing they needed to keep quiet. His mind wandering, he didn't think the room would fit a king size bed, maybe a double if they were lucky. Ceiling was high with a nice looking support beam. There was a small window letting in the remaining light of the sunset. Small as it was, the room had possibilities. 

He startled, his ear catching the sound of hand on doorknob. He heard Mick's quiet curse, and felt himself pulled back and pressed against the wall behind the door as it opened. 

Leonard held his breath, feeling Mick's body press tightly against him. He didn't think the intruder _wouldn't_ see them but if Mick's sudden attentiveness toward him was any indication, at least they now have an explanation for being there. 

Leonard cursed himself at having let out a groan which caught the Detective's attention. He could only imagine at what was going through the other's mind at seeing Mick pressed heavily into Leonard, teeth on the side of his neck, a hand pressed down inside his pants. Eyes locked on to one another, Leonard winced at the glare and heard the sigh before the Detective pulled away, closing the door. 

He listened to the conversation outside the door, and to the sounds of retreating footsteps, all the while feeling Mick's attention on him, stroking him to a full hard-on. 

"Fuck, Mick," he cursed as his body started to shudder. Mick knew the need for silence and covered Len's mouth with his own. He unleashed his moans into the pyro's mouth as he emptied his load, right into his pants. 

Damnit, that's the second pair of pants Mick ruined this week. Pushing him away, Leonard sighed at having to buy more pants. Mick chuckled in his ear as he nipped the earlobe before pulling away. 

Opening the door, he strained his ear, hearing only silence. Exiting, he headed downstairs. 

"What now?" Mick asked when they stepped outside. A light breeze had picked up, cooling the air. Shouldn't be any fires tonight, not like last week. 

"We gear up, head out on patrol." Leonard headed in the direction of their place. Sure, he had his cold gun, and Mick his heat gun, but there were other items he wanted to pick up. 

Mick followed, clearly eager to get on with the hunt. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Barr," Joe began as he pulled up in front of STAR Labs. Barry tensed. 

"Do I ..." 

Barry interrupted, cutting off the incoming line of thought. "Joe, no. They had nothing to do with those guys, the drugs. Nothing. They were as surprised as I was when we stumbled ... " Crap! 

"Barr?" Joe had that glaring Tell Me Now look in his eyes. 

"Um, you see, I ... uh," Barry really didn't know how to explain. 

Joe sighed. "I believe you." 

Barry's head snapped up. "You ... you do?" 

"Barr, I've known them two for years. Not a single time have they been caught for drug trafficking or possession. I've seen their faces, their eyes, anytime drugs were brought up. They don't like 'em, and prefer to stay clear of 'em. Also," Joe paused, pondering this next revelation. Barry hung on to every word. 

"CCPD ... I ... may have received anonymous tips over the past few years that led to several drug busts." 

Barry's eyes widened at those words, at what Joe wasn't saying. His memory kicked into focus at having read many of Joe's reports anytime Len and Mick were brought in, at noticing some missing information. 

"Joe ... " 

"Barr, I trust you. Always will. Go suit up." 

Before Barry could respond, Joe pushed him out of the car and peeled away as the radio squawked about a break-in. 

Barry stood there for another minute, his thoughts flowing wildly at the revelation. Joe actually trusted them, Len and Mick. 

So lost in thought, he barely heard Cisco's "Dude!" as he followed his friend into the Labs. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Where, Cisco?" 

Dropping the Meta next to a squad car, Barry dashed northward, dismantling a few guns along the way. 

What a night. After reassuring Cisco that he was feeling well enough to head out on patrol, Barry had helped out with the drug bust at that final building Joe had mentioned, foiled three muggings, returned a lost girl to her house (after having snuck out to look for the moon which was hiding behind clouds), prevented "Patches", the half-blind cat from socializing with a skunk, and had just taken down a Meta who had the bright idea to torch a Fire Department. 

Now there's some sort of incident up north. 

"Two blocks above Jitters, two gunmen clearly angry at each other." 

Barry sighed. Didn't people understand the dangers of using firearms so recklessly around the city? He felt his suit tighten as his memory peeked in at the events of last week. When used correctly, and responsibly, firearms can be quite safe. The trouble was trying to match good weaponry with good people. Too many weapons fall into the hands of nasty folk. 

Skidding to a halt between the two gunmen, Barry saw them tighten their grips, but had stopped growling. That was something, at least. 

"Guys, I'm sure whatever the issue is can be properly discussed without pointing your guns at each other." 

He didn't expect an answer and sighed at how accurate he was. He did hear a hammer cock. 

The Speed Force kicked into action as Barry saw the bullet freeze in mid-air. He knocked it down to the ground, and grabbed both guns, dismantling them. He dropped the pieces to the ground as time flowed back to normal. 

"Asshole!" 

Barry barely moved, as one of the gunmen attempted to slug him, watching as he fell down, sputtering curses. 

"Guys," Barry began but was cut off as a low rumble quaked the ground beneath him. 

"Incoming!" came Cisco's voice over the comm. 

Barry turned just in time to see a ... a ... 

"Land Shark!" 

Yup, that's exactly what Cisco described it as. The Shark Meta popped up out of the ground and landed heavily, nearly causing Barry to lose his balance. 

"Seriously, how many Sharks are running around?!" Barry took a quick glance at the gunmen who had regained their balance and are now dashing away. 

"Second one on record. Is it a muddy brown colour?" 

"Yeah, why?" Barry ducked under an arm, noticing the dagger-like claws. 

"No reason, just making conversation as we collect data. How's the fin?" 

Barry glanced at the large dorsal fin and winced. "Big, long, sharp." He ducked as Land Shark turned around. 

"Makes sense since he has a lot of solid ground to cut through." 

"Yeah." 

Barry dashed in close with a punch but only managed to skim the chest plate as Land Shark half-turned and back-handed him across the chest, the claws tearing through fabric. 

"Gahhhh!" That stung, very much so. 

"Barry! You okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine, Cisco. Shark has nasty claws. I can't seem to land a punch, chest is heavily protected, like a plate of sorts." Barry winced as he avoided another swing of claws, and landed heavily as he totally missed the incoming tail swipe that caught him in the legs. 

"Barry!" 

"Tail whip attack proved super effective, Cisco!" Barry rolled, hopping back up to his feet. 

"Seriously?! That move is usually so useless. It's always the first move I unlearn. Remind me to use it next time we link up and battle." 

"Won't get a chance to use it if I barrage you with my Lightning Claw." Barry attempted to do just that, gathering up some electricity to add to his punch. He landed square in the chest which momentarily stunned the Shark but quickly found himself hurled through the air, landing on his back. 

"Barry, Lightning isn't supposed to be effective against Ground, y'know." 

"Guess I forgot," Barry rolled just out of reach as Land Shark thudded right where he was a moment ago. "Damn, sharp claws on the feet as well. Ideas, Cisco?" 

"Try water." 

"On a Shark?!" Okay, normally Water is effective against Ground, super effective actually, but this was a freakin' shark! 

"Physical attacks won't work, Lightning won't work. Give good ol' H2O a try!" 

"Gaaaaaah!" Barry hissed out as he felt a burn along his backside, dashing off to the side. "This Land Shark is spouting fireballs!" 

"Good!" 

"Good?! He's burning my suit! How the hell is that good?!" Barry dashed again as he felt heat graze along the tear in his suit. 

"He's dual-type Ground/Fire. Water attacks will prove extra effective." 

Gazing around, he hopped over the tail. "Not seeing any hydrants or fountains around, Cisco. We're not even close to the riverrrrrr ... " 

Barry cursed as Land Shark turned impossibly quick to catch the front of his suit, claws gripping around the emblem. 

"Barry! I lost visual." Cisco was no doubt referring to the camera embedded into the emblem. The engineer had thought it'd be a good idea to get a visual whenever Barry was out on patrol in case the speedster encountered any new Metas. For data gathering purposes. Just like with the comms, Barry often forgot the camera was even there. 

He felt the claws grasp flesh, felt a burn, heard the tear, and felt himself hurled through the air again, the emblem and a large chunk of his suit left behind in those claws. Barry landed hard, dazed. 

He barely heard another voice cut into the comm, as he breathed heavily, vision darkening. Land Shark appeared above him, claws reaching down. 

Unable to move, Barry felt his eyes drift as he heard a familiar hum and ice crystals forming. He felt a chill along his exposed flesh, cooling him down nicely. 

"Scarlet!" 

Not the comm this time. Barry snapped his eyes open as he felt someone shaking him. Naturally his eyes landed on a frozen paw with claws inches from his nose. 

"Gaaaaaah!" he rolled away, gasping. "Too close, too close, too close." 

"Easy, Red, we got you." Mick, definitely Mick. Pressing his forehead into the ground, panting, he felt the pyro rubbing his ass, grazing fingers along a nasty burn that melted through the suit. 

"Barry? You okay?" Cisco spoke through the comm. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." He glanced up. "Ice has proven super effective." 

"Ice? Where'd you find ice in this heat? There's no place that sells ice in that area, and no meat packing place." 

"Just call in a truck for pick-up. ARGUS should take this one. I'll be back to the Labs in a few minutes for a new suit." 

"ARGU..." 

Barry turned the comm off as he rolled onto his back. He immediately felt Mick's fingers inspecting his burnt flesh. He hissed at how fresh the burns are. 

"Not a stream." Mick was really inspecting the burns embedded in the claw marks. 

"N'no," Barry gasped out. "Fireballs and claws." 

"Mmm," Mick gently rubbed an exposed nipple. "Seems claws were heated." 

"Fire Claw attack, super effective," Barry mumbled, his back arching into Mick's fingers, craving more attention. 

"Better go, the ARGUS truck is nearly here." 

Barry glanced up to see Len gazing down the road. He sighed, letting Mick haul him back up on his feet. 

"Yeah, need to get a new suit." Barry looked down at his exposed chest, seeing the burnt claw marks starting to heal. 

Len turned toward him, grinning. "Oh, I dunno, Scarlet. Seeing you in a half-torn suit makes you look ravishing." 

Barry felt the heat in his groin as Len had spoken so seductively, the blue eyes trailing along the exposed flesh. 

"Here," Mick had unwrapped an energy bar and shoved it in his mouth. Barry practically inhaled the thing, wishing it were something else. Still, he was grateful for the energy burst. 

"Good?" Len asked. 

"Good, yeah, thanks." He felt a chill on his bare ass cheek as a gust of wind came up. He also saw Len lick his lips while gazing at that particular piece of exposed flesh. "Argh, gotta get back, change suit, damnit." 

Barry turned but paused before zipping away. He allowed a moment for Len to grip his flesh, dragging his fingers along, pushing under the torn fabric and along his crack. Damnit, he just wanted to stand there but Cisco was waiting. 

"Right, gotta go." He forced himself to zip away just as a finger found his hole, cursing silently. 

\----------------------------------------------

Watching Barry speed away, Leonard turned as the ARGUS truck came nearer. 

"Move." 

He pushed Mick into an alley, exiting out the other side. He really didn't want to be around ARGUS agents. 

"They's need a better suit that don't burn." Mick growled. 

Leonard hummed in agreement. Considering all the Metas running around, and a few encounters with Mick in the past, he's surprised that the Flash suit didn't have better fire resistance. 

Glancing down the alley, he had a clear view of Land Shark and the ARGUS agents that swarmed it. He watched as a small woman came into view and bent down to pick up Barry's emblem. He also saw her pocket the emblem discreetly. Interesting. 

"Huhn," Mick mused. "That Digg's woman." 

Ah, that's why she seemed familiar. Lyla Michaels, head of ARGUS. Good, she'll make sure to return the emblem. Still, Leonard wished he had thought to pick it up himself. 

Tapping into the comm, he listened for a minute as Barry retrieved a new suit, downed a couple more energy bars, and dashed out again. 

"Let's move." Leonard aimed down the street, Mick in tow, wondering how much longer the night will last. He sighed, wishing they were home but feeling the need to watch their speedster's back. 

\----------------------------------------------

Wishing he were back at his Rogues' place, Barry sighed, wondering how much longer the night will last. He silently pined the loss of that dexterous finger pressing against his hole. 

"Next right." 

Barry turned at Cisco's direction, catching a purse thief along the way, depositing him next to another squad car. He skidded to a halt right behind the newest Meta and dutifully fell heavily to the ground. 

"Barry?!" 

Cursing, he growled. "What the heck is up with Metas and their Tail Whip attacks?!" 

"Dude, you seriously need to learn how to evade those. What's in front of you?" 

Barry sighed, knowing that Cisco hadn't had a chance to insert a camera into the new emblem. Hopping to his feet, he back-pedaled to avoid an arm thrust. 

"Uh, bigger tail, smooth mostly except for a spike at the end." Barry hopped over the tail before it could trip him again. He zipped out of reach taking in the Meta's appearance. 

"Definitely not a shark this time. Looks more ... " Barry inhaled sharply as the Meta turned toward him, the eyes freezing him in place. 

"Barry? Looks more like what?" 

Beautiful eyes held him in place. Eyes the colour of royalty. Eyes set in amongst smooth blue skin with ridge plates along the edges of the face. Two horns lightly curved toward the back. 

"Barry!" 

Barry snapped back into focus, vibrating his body to break the paralysis spell, and zipped out of range. 

"Draconic." 

"Draconic?! Aw man, I wish I had a camera in that suit!" 

"Yeah, this thing is quite amazing actually, would make for a great RPG character." 

Barry avoided another tail whip, keeping a close eye on the spike. He heard a soft growl as he dashed forward with the intention of landing a punch. Instead, his fist paused on the scaly chest as he accidently fell into those eyes again. The forked tongue fluttered out which Barry felt on his exposed skin. He momentarily pondered whether he should ask Cisco for a full-face cowl. 

Frozen in place, unable to remember how to vibrate, Barry felt the hot breath as the Draconic Meta leaned forward. He felt the other's claws dig into his outstretched forearm, hearing the fabric tear. Okay, he seriously needed a suit that's claw-proof. 

He heard Cisco's voice cut off abruptly as the comm was ripped out, leaving the right side of his head exposed. He attempted to vibrate but the eyes were too damn close, holding him still. 

Barry felt a chill slam into his right backside, sliding up and along his arm, thudding heavily into the Meta's chest. He blinked as the Meta roared in pain, watching it step back. No longer paralyzed, Barry still couldn't move much due to the ice. Instead, he watched as the Draconic Meta slowly became encased in ice. 

"Huh," Barry was mesmerized. It really was a beautiful creature. He vibrated out of the ice covering his arm, slowly straightening back up. He heard the ice crack along his backside as he moved. 

"Huhn, best sculpture yet." Barry had to agree with Mick as the ice blast was so fine that it encased the Meta very close to the skin with barely any excess. More ice sculpture than an ice block. 

He felt a chill between his legs. Glancing down, Barry noticed that the tail had wrapped around his right leg. He watched the tail slowly cover in ice. 

"Stand still." 

Obediently, Barry remained still, hearing the ice particles forming behind him and ending just behind his neck. Exhaling, he leaned his head back only to bump into the ice at his neck. 

"C'mere," Mick grasped his arm, hauling him away from the Meta. Barry stumbled over the frozen tail, landing in the pyro's arms. 

Turning, Barry paled at seeing the tail, how the spike at the tip had been so close to spearing the back of his neck. He shuddered, feeling Mick's warm arms wrap around him, holding tightly. 

"Tha ... tha ... tha ..." 

"Too close." Len finished for him. 

Barry watched as Len focused on the ground, watched him bend over, and he felt the urge to run his hands along that smooth ass. He heard Mick's chuckle in his ear. 

Len turned back toward them, comm in hand, flicking it on. Barry heard Cisco's voice loud and clear. 

"Cisco! I'm fine, it's taken care of." 

"Barry! What happened? We got cut off." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. The Meta ... " 

"Drakon." 

Barry blinked. "That's what we're calling it? Isn't that a little ... " 

"Awesome, right? Dude, you totally went up against a Draconic Meta! How cool is that??" 

Awesome was not the word Barry would have used. The name seemed a little, generic, but Barry didn't have the heart to tell that to Cisco. Besides, he was too busy feeling the nips and bites along his exposed neck. 

"You gotta take pics, man." 

"Ciscoooo," Barry gasped out at a particularly hard bite. 

"Pics or I'll change all the codes, locking you out of STAR Labs." 

Barry took a moment to determine whether or not that was supposed to be a threat. Being locked out of the Labs seemed pretty good right about now, especially with a roaming hand squeezing between his legs. 

"I got it." Barry turned his eyes toward Len who had his cell phone out. "Got a few good shots before the ice. I'll send the pics over to Ramon." 

Barry silently cursed the traitor. 

\----------------------------------------------

Pocketing the cell phone, right after a few discreet shots of Mick holding Barry, Leonard gazed fondly at the speedster's bliss-mode expression. His head had fallen back to rest on the pyro's chest, eyes half-closed, tongue lightly hanging out. That's a pose he'll never tire of seeing. 

Hearing the roar of trucks behind him, Leonard let out a "Let's move!" before ushering his partners down another alley. Emerging out the other side, he took a moment to inspect Barry's suit. 

Minimal damage this time, only the right sleeve is torn plus need a whole new cowl. Fingering the tear, Leonard watched as the claw marks closed over turning the skin lightly pink. 

"Cisco's gonna kill me, this is the second suit I've ruined tonight," Barry groaned out of frustration. Leonard knew how passionate the engineer gets around his suits, never letting Barry forget who actually owned the suits with frequent reminders about not being so careless. 

"It's not so bad, Scarlet," Leonard commented as he roamed a hand to inspect the backside. "Quick patch on the arm, new cowl, you're good as new." He squeezed as fingers trailed along the crack, receiving a "Yelp!" as a reward. 

"Yeah, not quite as revealing as the other suit," Mick chimed in sounding a little disappointed as the pyro inspected the cowl. 

While Mick proceeded with the inspection of the lips and tongue, Leonard took those few moments to check through the images on his phone, selecting a few to send off to Ramon. He'll need to remember to dump the images onto their private server at home; some he really didn't want to share with Ramon or anyone else, like the one of Drakon drenching Barry's face with its forked tongue, and the ones of Mick biting into Barry's neck and groping him. He'll need to check his own camera feed later, from the tiny camera embedded into his goggles. 

Leonard smiled fondly at his partners, letting his mind wander. Definitely lots of footage to go through, he needed to work on that album for Barry as the speedster did request pictures. He briefly pondered the existence of the new breed of Metas that were more creature than human. The first Meta of the night was human with Meta powers; hence it was dropped off with the police. These last two were beasts, nothing human about them at all so they were picked up by ARGUS. He'll need to see about extra cameras, maybe more powerful ones. There may be more of these new Meta Beasts out there. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Dude, you really need to be more careful and stop wrecking my suits!" 

As expected, Cisco was growling while pacing the room, arms flinging through the air to emphasise his words. 

Barry watched his friend roam around, growling and cursing, not the least bit bothered as the tone increased gradually in intensity. Rather than listening, he let his mind wander back to the two Meta Beasts. Both had impressive sets of claws. Land Shark had really pointy teeth and Drakon had this incredible forked tongue. Land Shark had ridges along its tail and Drakon's was smooth, longer, but had that spike at the end. He pondered what type the Draconic Meta was as it didn't get a chance to unleash any Meta power at all, aside from basic physical attacks. Barry groaned at having being struck down by both Meta tails. 

"Barry? You okay?" 

Cisco flashed a penlight into his eyes, causing Barry to blink. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he shoved the arm away. "Just thinking about the new Meta Beasts." 

"Ooooh, Meta Beasts. I like that!" Cisco plopped down into his chair and started typing. "More beast than human, right?" 

Looking over Cisco's shoulder, he saw the footage with Land Shark appear. "Yeah, well, they were all beast, zero human. I think." 

"Hmm, more like anthros then." Cisco let out a whistle. "Damn, that Tail Whip really proved itself useful. Analysing further, it's more like a Tail Swipe, lowers Defense while doing Damage. I'll need to add that move to my team." 

Barry grinned, turning away, already thinking of counter moves. It's too bad majority of his team uses Electric attacks, and Cisco had the annoying habit of using Rock, Ground and Grass types. Hmm, maybe he should add a water dragon to the mix. Won't do much to the Grass but it will put a big dent into the rest of his friend's team. 

Hearing a message ping, Barry hauled out his cell phone to reveal an image of himself from earlier tonight, Drakon's forked tongue on his face. The accompanying message: 

_\-- "Mmm, tasty!" --_

Barry blushed, silently agreeing, stuffing the cell phone back into his pocket. 

"Oh! Thanks for those pics, amazing quality!" Cisco's voice interrupted his not-so-decent thoughts. "Didn't recognise the number, though, but damn, Drakon really is cool." 

Turning back to the screen, Barry saw the images of Drakon, about a dozen of them. He let out a whistle at the quality and the angles they were shot from. A few had been taken before Len iced him into that perfect sculpture. 

"Yeah, Drakon really was something. Unlike any Meta I've run up against." Now that he was able to gaze upon the creature without his mind focused on trying to survive, Barry could fully appreciate the Draconic body, how smooth the skin was, the ridges and scales, the tail was longer than he first thought. He shuddered at those gorgeous eyes, remembering their paralysis power. 

He answered Cisco's questioning look. "Has some kind of a snake-eye paralysis power." 

"Ah! That's why you kept pausing in your commentary. I'll add that in." Cisco typed for a few moments. "Wonder if Lyla will let me hack into their system to gain more info on Drakon? I think we can both agree that Drakon is far more appealing than Land Shark, am I right?" 

Barry couldn't help but laugh at Cisco's goofy grin. "Dude, if you're that fascinated, maybe Lyla can set you up with a personal meeting." 

Cisco's eyes brightened. "You think so? That would be so cool!" 

Another message ping caused Barry to turn away. This time he viewed himself on the ground as Land Shark hovered above him, with one iced claw inches from his nose. That was a pretty intense moment. The image had also revealed what Barry hadn't previously noticed as he was too busy panicking about the claw he could see. Land Shark's other claw was hovered further down, just a breath above a growing erection. He groaned at the message: 

_\-- "Has excellent taste. Not sure how I feel about Meta Beasts taking interest in my Meta." --_

That led to many indecent mental images. Barry wondered what other Meta Beasts were out there, and where they could have possibly come from. 

Shaking the thoughts away before his pants tightened further, he shifted the conversation in a new direction. "When's Caitlin back?" 

"Hmm?" A few more taps on the keyboard, Cisco leaned back glancing up at him. "Today, tomorrow, next week?" 

Barry sighed. He hadn't minded when Caitlin mentioned last week that she was headed to Star City for a few days; it's good for the doc to get out of the MedLab and spend time with friends after all. He just wished he knew exactly when his frosty friend will return as he wanted to check out his speed numbers when exposed to ice. Still, Cisco can check today's numbers. 

"How's my speed tonight?" 

"Right!" Cisco spun back to the screen, tapped in a few keys. "Today looked good, actually. Really good." He paused, studying the numbers. "Hmm ..." 

"Hmm?" Barry wondered if he was slowed by the ice. 

"Hmm," Cisco repeated. "A slight drop when you were returning here after battling Drakon but with the night you had, you were probably running a bit low on juice." 

Okay, that's as good a reason as any. "The rest of the night looked good, though, right?" 

"Perfect. A slight increase while tackling those gunmen right before Land Shark appeared. Plus there was a boost when you came back to swap suits." Another questioning look. 

"Yeah, had a calorie bar right after taking down Land Shark." Barry really didn't want to explain how he got that bar, seeing as his suit never seem to have pockets. 

"Hmmmm," Cisco lingered for a moment longer before turning back to his screen. "Might save a bit of time if you could keep a few of those with you at all times. Maybe some speed resistant pouches attached to the belt ..." 

Barry plopped down into another chair, tuning out Cisco's mumbling thoughts. Another message ping, this time from the pyro. He grinned at the thought of Mick trying to take a picture with a cell phone. Those things always appear so small in his big meaty hands. As expected, the image that came in was lopsided, and a bit too zoomed in, but it was a clear shot. Barry's ass was exposed and it was when Leonard was prodding around with his fingers, right before Barry dashed off to switch suits. Definitely not an image to share with Cisco. There was only a string of flame emoji to accompany the image. 

\----------------------------------------------

"What're you grinning at?" 

Standing outside the Jitters closest to STAR Labs, Leonard eyed his pyro while taking a sip of his drink. 

"Sending Red a pic," came the huffed response. 

He had to grin at that, especially after having sent Barry a couple of his own. "Make sure you only send it to the kid. Don't want any of his friends seeing them." 

Mick laughed. 

Glancing around at the thinning crowd, Leonard reflected back on the evening. Not exactly how he planned it but he can appreciate how much Barry values his duties. Loyalty and dedication are certainly two qualities he admires in both of his partners. 

The night wasn't a total loss, however. He did manage to get some decent pictures for Barry, and they did get to see the beginning of the new breed of Metas. Plus, there were the groping moments they managed to steal, and how Barry craved their touch. Yes, he thought, things could only get more interesting from here on out. 

"C'mon." Tossing the empty cup into the outdoor trash can, Leonard rounded the corner of the building only to be rustled up in a gust of wind, warm lips suddenly on his. 

"Freedom! I can go, we can go. Can we go?" 

Leonard laughed at the speedster's rambling. Another thing he would never tire of. Before he could respond, he took in what the kid was wearing. A tight red shirt with lightning bolts on it and matching pants. 

"Nice suit, Red!" Mick was the one to speak up first. 

Barry groaned. "Don't even talk about it. Cisco gave me this to wear, I think it's his punishment for ruining his suits." 

"Mmm," Leonard hummed running a hand over the chest. "It's not bad actually, feels similar to your suits but thinner." He easily found and plucked at a nipple. 

"Yeah, a thinner version of tripolymer and I told Cisco that this is just way ... Mmmm ... too tight. Also a little too obvious, like, couldn't he have designed something a li'l less flashy and more, I dunno, blue colour?" 

"Mmm," he leaned forward and bit that clearly visible nipple, still encased in the fabric. He did the same to the other nipple once it was also protruding nicely. 

"Honestly, I really don't knownggg .... what was going on in that thick skull of his. He did say that the fabric will loosen up a bit as it adjusts ... damnit ... better to my body so it shouldn't feel quite so tight ahhhhhgnnnn!" 

"Hmm, that's a shame. I like how it fits so nicely on you right now." Gliding his hands down, Leonard reached around to squeeze the nicely outlined ass. 

"Argh, you would." 

Leonard could only chuckle at the speedster's squirminess. Slightly changing direction, he pressed Barry back up against the wall to conceal themselves a bit more behind Mick's bulkiness. Leaning in, he engulfed that pretty mouth with his own, letting his tongue roam freely. He could feel the vibration of that deep moan even if he couldn't hear it. Jitters was closing up for the night, the last of the crowd moving off. 

Moving his leg forward, Leonard coaxed the legs apart and lifted his leg with the intention of rubbing his knee along the crotch. He paused, momentarily confused as his knee hit something solid. 

Barry gasped out of the deep kiss, panting, regaining some air. "Jock strap. The only saving grace with this outfit." 

Leonard growled, thumping his knee against the blasted object. 

"Ahhh, easy," Barry gasped out and hissed as Leonard bit into his neck. 

Annoying as the strap was, Leonard could understand Barry's comment. He imagined the kid wouldn't feel too comfortable walking about with a raging hard-on for everyone to see, especially in that durably skin-tight outfit. Probably thinks it's bad enough his nipples were fully on display. 

Pulling back, resting his leg back on the ground, he growled, "Fine." 

Cupping the damp chin, thumb trailing along the lower lip, Leonard pondered his options as he let his eyes roam down Barry's body. The fabric lightly rustled as the skin beneath trembled. Licking his lips, he lingered on those nipples that had started to soften. Leaning down, mouth hovering over a nipple, he lightly blew hot air onto the fabric. To his amazement, the nipple hardened right up. 

"Daaaamn, now that's thin." Mick had let out a soft whistle from behind him. 

"Too thin, thin, way too thinnnnnnggghhh..." 

Leonard ignored them as he set about ravaging that nipple, testing to see just how durable the fabric really was. A few minutes of sucking and pulling on the fabric, numerous attempts at biting and grinding his teeth into the flesh beneath, the fabric always snapped back perfectly into place. All the while Barry was squirming, gasping, panting, letting out some obscene curses. 

Straightening back up, he hummed as he let his fingers work on both nipples. At the start of a scream when he pinched excessively hard, Leonard clamped his mouth over Barry's, feeling the entire body vibrate. He held on for thirty seconds before releasing the abused nipples, feeling Barry's body drop down to a shudder and begin to pulsate. He felt the heat coming through the jock strap. 

Pulling out of the damp mouth, Leonard leaned in to nip at an earlobe, listening to Barry's pants as he finished unloading into his strap. 

"Mmm, good," he let the words growl softly into the speedster's ear as the other's head hung over his shoulder. 

After another minute of standing there nuzzling, Leonard stepped away, leaving behind a couple of bruises in the neck that were already beginning to heal. He silently cursed the blasted healing, mentally taking note to see about restricting only certain portions of the speedster's powers. Trailing a hand down, lightly rubbing the nipples back to full hard, he continued down to cup the jock strap. No sign of wetness. Trailing his fingers around back, he didn't feel any dampness either and the ground was dry. 

"Hmm," a puzzle, one he's not sure if he liked. 

"It's there," Barry spoke quietly, still catching his breath. "It's all there. Caught in the strap." 

Interesting. He'll need to investigate that a little further, but later. He can hear the Jitters staff just on the other side of the wall approaching the back door. 

"Time to go." Leonard turned and headed down the road with a destination in mind. Hands in pockets, he walked casually, trusting Mick to gather up their partner to follow behind. 

Letting his thoughts wander, he pondered how to thank Cisco for the new outfit, without actually revealing that the two Rogues have been giving the engineer's best friend a lot of intimate attention. Sure, the jock strap was a bit of a hurdle, but Leonard really do like the fun challenges. Getting Barry to unleash by nipple torment alone was an extremely fun challenge, one he plans to capitalise upon even more. 

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his partners a few paces behind. Mick was holding Barry up, arm wrapped around the waist, big meaty hand cupping the jock strap. Leonard grinned at how Barry paid the hand no mind, too busy setting one foot in front of the other. Turning his attention forward again, he headed down to the waterfront. 

\----------------------------------------------

One foot in front of the other. Breathe. Another step, another breath of air. That was all Barry could do as his entire body felt like mush. He couldn't focus on where Mick was leading him, only that it was toward Len a few paces ahead of them. 

He groaned, cursing Cisco for the blasted outfit. Okay, he really shouldn't curse his friend too much as the outfit had allowed Len to get creative, which felt really damn good. Still, there should be a law against moving his body too soon after ... after ... that! 

Feeling strength return to his legs, Barry paused, taking in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. His head became clearer as he gazed around, noticing they were on the pathway parallel with the river. He felt Mick's arm tighten around his waist. Glancing down, he saw where the pyro's hand rested ... well, more like kneading. 

"Seriously?!" Barry growled as he attempted to step away. Mick released his jock strap, but didn't let go completely as he turned Barry around and kissed him. Barry practically melted into the heated mouth. 

"C'mon, don't be a wimp," Mick chuckled. "Doubt anyone saw ... much." 

"Miiiiiick..." Barry groaned as the pyro tapped the strap as he spoke. Exasperated, he stepped out of Mick's grasp and headed to where Len stood against the railing, down by the treeline. 

Slowing down his steps, Barry took the time to glance out at the river, at how the street lamps sparkled in the water's reflection. No twinkling stars tonight due to the clouds but the air felt really good, fresh, cooling his body down nicely. Nobody was out at this late hour. 

Lost in thought, Barry realised just how happy he was. He didn't need to put up a wall around himself, pretend to be various aspects of himself that others expected him to be, hold himself back from wanting what he needed. With Len and Mick, he can just be himself without the worries of the world. He can feel whatever he wanted to feel, relax, release his burdens, let the others take care of him. 

Barry paused in mid-step as he felt his nipples harden, Len only a few feet away watching his approach. It was then that Barry realised just how much his body really is conditioning itself toward Len's touch, and will continue to do so for the indefinite future. Covering the last few steps, he slid neatly against Len's side. Moments later, he felt his ass clench at the heated approach of the pyro, another interesting sensation. Mick slid in next to him, the Rogues lightly pressing Barry into the railing. Despite being unable to maneuver himself out of their grasp, Barry didn't feel trapped at all. He loved their closeness, the press of their warm bodies into his. It was a protective feeling that he hadn't felt in a long time. Since becoming The Flash, everyone had looked to him for protection. At least now he finally has his answer to the old question: Who protects the protector? 

"Barry?" 

Too short of time later, Barry groaned at hearing someone call out to him. Glancing over his shoulder, he startled at seeing who was there. 

"Lyla?" He turned toward her, his Rogues parting to allow him to move. "What are you doing here? Is Digg okay? Are you okay? What's up?" 

He relaxed at seeing Lyla's smile, heard her soft laughter. 

"I'm fine, Barry. Johnny's good, we're all good. How are you doing? Bit of a rough day." 

Uh, oh! Barry's mind blinked into focus, remembering why Lyla is there. "Ah, yeah. Thanks for the assist. Any problems picking them up?" 

"A bit slippery but my crew handled them just fine. They'll be in lock-up before the ice fully melts." Barry noticed Lyla glancing over his shoulders. 

"Uh, good. Um ..." Geeze, he really didn't want Lyla to start questioning his social life. 

"Relax, Barry. I'm not going to grill you on what you do during your free time." 

Shit! Did she ... had she ... ? Barry felt his skin turn red. 

"Before I forget, here." Barry glanced down when he felt a metal disc being pressed into his hand. Ah, the emblem from when Land Shark ripped it off him. He completely forgot about it. 

Clutching it, he stammered a "Thanks," then remembered what Cisco wanted. 

"Oh! Cisco wanted to know ..." Barry paused. How was he supposed to ask Lyla if his friend can have free access to hack the ARGUS systems? 

Lyla grinned at him. "Let me guess. Cisco is completely obsessed with the new breed of Metas that he wants every piece of data we obtain on them." 

Barry blinked, only now remembering at how smart Lyla really was. "Uh, something like that." 

"For research purposes, I'm sure." 

"Umm ... “ What could he say? 

"I'll leave the backdoor open, digitally speaking, but only for the new breed." 

Barry brought his head up, catching the glint of amusement in Lyla's eyes. "Meta Beasts, and thanks, Lyla. I think, I hope, he's planning on improving the suits as they tear easily in their claws, unlike the regular Meta Humans, even King Shark couldn't tear too well but Land Shark is fully Meta Beast and he totally ripped my suit to shreds, way more than Drakon who hadn't really held me for long aside from that paralysis glare of his, or her, we really don't know the gender of Drakon ..." 

"Barry!" 

"Yeah?" Barry blinked, his rambling coming to an abrupt halt. 

Lyla laughed. "Good to know you're doing okay. You be sure to send me your info, right? Directly to me. I want to limit who has access to the new breed, Beasts." 

Barry nodded. "Of course. I was planning to anyway. I'd hate to see any of them pop up in Star City without any sort of idea of what they are and how to take 'em out." 

"So far ice seems to help but no guarantee it'll work on others." Lyla sighed, rubbing the sides of her head. "Any idea where they could have come from?" 

Barry shook his head. "No clue. Today was the first time we encountered them. Cisco hadn't noticed any interdimensional breeches in the city. He even had difficulty tracing back Land Shark's trail due to some sort of interference." 

"Hmm, interesting. Could have some sensor scramblers but are they electronic devices or natural?" Lyla had her cell phone out, tapping out a message. Pocketing the cell phone again, she sighed, tiredly. "I'll be sure to keep in touch with you. We need to find out where they're coming from and why." 

"Same. Wish I could say I hope those were the only two but ... " he shrugged, leaving the sentence unfinished. Lyla knew fully what he meant. 

"Right. I better get going." Lyla turned to go but paused, glancing back over Barry's shoulders. "You two keep a close eye on him? He can be a bit reckless out there." 

He heard Mick grunt in acknowledgment, and Len's "Got it." 

"Good. We need all the hands we can get tackling these things. Have a good night, Barry." 

"Cya." Barry watched his friend wander down the path and disappeared into the night as she ventured off it. His ears picked up the faint sound of an engine fading away. 

"I like her." Mick's voice broke softly into the silence. 

"Mmm," Barry agreed as he felt Len reaching for the emblem still clutched in his hands. He released it over to him as his partner has pockets in his jacket. He wondered if he should mention to Cisco _again_ about the lack of pockets in all his suits. 

Turning back to Mick's comment, he continued, "Yeah, Lyla's pretty awesome. Way better than the previous leader of ARGUS. Much nicer, more determined, and always seeking multiple options rather than the direct death approach. Plus, it's easier for us to access the ARGUS systems with her at the helm. If Waller were still around, I'd be locked up and under a microscope 24/7. That was one scary bitch." Barry shuddered at the memory of having seen Amanda Waller a few times, of nearly getting caught in her grasp. 

"Mmm," Mick wrapped his arms around Barry's waist, holding him close. "No more scary bitches for you, kid. We'll make sure of it. We's good at scaring away people." 

Barry felt Mick lean back against the railing, felt the pyro's tongue on the back of his ear. He pressed his back into the other's chest, arching his neck for better access. He was immediately rewarded with a barrage of nips and bites. 

Taking a quick glance around, Barry didn't see anyone else around. In the past, he wouldn't even dared to consider what he was currently thinking. However, these two have woken a relentless craving from deep within that he really needed to focus on right now. Sighing happily into the latest bite, Barry slightly moved his hips backward. 

He felt Mick pause. "Oh?" 

A bit harder, he felt Mick harden as he gave a short grind. He gasped as Mick nibbled on his earlobe. He briefly wondered where Len was as he felt Mick run a hand along the inside of his thigh. 

Opening his eyes (he couldn't remember having closed them), he saw Len busy with his cell phone. Watching silently for a few moments, Barry licked his lips as the other glanced back up, their eyes locking. He wiggled his hips slightly, earning a thrust of Mick's groin. Barry grinned as he pressed back further, a slow grind, keeping his eyes on Len. Mick groaned in his ear. 

His heart thudded as Len stepped closer, his lips so close to his own. Barry tilted his head forward and licked them. 

"You sure?" came the quiet question. A question Barry had asked himself numerous times since their first real encounter last week. 

Two weeks ago, Barry would have run without a second thought. One week ago, he would have been hesitant, unsure, yet interested. The last few days he wondered if all this was a big mistake. Over the course of the day, Barry's body took control. Here, along the waterfront, he realised both his brain and his body were in complete agreement. 

He nodded. 

\----------------------------------------------

Feeling Barry's breath on his skin, tongue caressing his lips, Leonard watched his eyes closely, seeing the trust and desire within. He had no problem with outdoor displays but Barry was too new at this, too self-conscious. Leonard hadn't really thought about taking him further than the teasing from throughout the evening, that bit outside of Jitters being the most forward advance. 

Glancing around, he saw nobody in sight. They were at the far end of the path, closest to the trees, somewhat secluded. Mick is leaned up against the railing and can keep watch. Barry is facing the same direction but he somehow doubted the kid would be able to stay focused for very long. 

Turning his eyes back on Barry, he saw the hunger and the nod. Leaning in, he kissed his brave speedster, pressing a hand to the other's waist, feeling the fabric. There was no clear indication where the waistband was but within moments of groping, a finger finally found a tiny opening. 

Pulling back, he licked Barry's lips. "Alright, then." He nearly melted at Barry's warm smile, how his body relaxed, all those incredible emotions dancing in his eyes. 

"Mick?" 

"Right here, boss." 

Leonard watched as Mick rummaged in his pocket, pulling a plug out of a cloth bag. 

"Here ya go, Red, suck on this for a bit." Mick thrusted the three-inch plug into Barry's mouth, teeth clamping around the base, holding it in. "Think we should get a larger one?" 

"Hmm," Leonard pondered, watching Barry suck on the plug as he wiggled more of his fingers past the waistband. "It's not as if he needs 'em to stretch out, he can accommodate you easily enough." Which was true, as Leonard thought back to the previous week. Hardly any prep was required for the speedster to be able to fit them both in. 

"Hrmm," Mick found the waistband along the back and thrusted his hand down, sinking his nails into the flesh. "Maybe get some custom ones fer different purposes." 

"Mmm," Leonard liked that idea. He did prefer custom tech over store-bought items. They'd be able to tailor each specific piece to their Meta's unique needs. 

He felt the soundless gasp as Mick prodded his fingers against Barry's hole. 

"Imagine a small one, just barely pressing against his hole, not big enough to enter. Vibrating." Mick chuckled. "That'd keep him on edge all day." 

Indeed it would, and they knew just the guy to task with all these custom pieces. After what he had been through the past year, keeping busy with something meaningful would be a huge help with the recovery. 

Leonard grinned, lifting the shirt up out of the pants, watching as it clutched tightly to the skin higher up, leaving the abs exposed. He marveled at how clingy the material was, not falling back down at all. Pulling his other hand back out, he raised the shirt higher and left it clinging just above the nipples. 

"Interesting," his voice sounded awed. He lightly ran his thumbs across the exposed nipples before sliding them down to catch the waistband. With Mick's assistance at the back, they managed to peel the pants down to the ankles. 

"Mebbe a longer, thinner one, to remind him that fingers feel nice." Mick with another suggestion as he thrusted a finger inside. 

Examining the jock strap, Leonard chuckled at Cisco's design. Red like the suit with a lightning bolt. He fingered the straps, gliding along until he felt the tiny buckles. Holding onto the jock strap, he released the two buckles, letting the straps dangle down. Gently tugging forward, he felt the dampness of the jock as his fingers came into contact with the puddle from earlier. He watched as Barry's erection sprang up once released, already leaking pre-cum. Or maybe he just had never stopped leaking. 

Mick reached around and clutched the base tightly. "How's a band, here, controlled by an app. Different vibrating settings. Can't release at this spot." 

That ... was a good idea actually. Leonard felt Barry's body shudder at the contact of Mick's groping hand and the cool air on exposed skin. He stepped forward to run a tongue over a nipple, feeling the groan vibrate through the chest. 

"Mebbe try this in the daytime?" The sound of a zipper resonated loud and clear, sweat glistened on Barry's body at the suggestion. 

"Hmm, maybe not quite as exposed," Leonard worked the thought around his mind. "Too risky in the daytime." 

"Creetly, then, more fun." Mick started thrusting but not yet entering. Leonard could tell that Barry felt every inch running along his crack. 

"Mmm, yeah," Leonard thought back to the Meta battles earlier in the evening. "Stealing those moments was ... " 

"Delicious, what we's best at. Always enjoyed the hunt." Mick rested both hands on Barry's waist once he was fully hard and dripping. 

Leonard had to agree. It was a fun day, snatching those moments to grope, and ending up right where they are right now. It was a delicious sight having their Scarlet Speedster naked between them, outdoors, with a plug in his mouth, body shuddering as it craved more. Maybe next time they'll actually let him moan out loud, without the hindrance of the plug. 

Grasping the erection, thumbing the slit, Leonard clamped down on a nipple just as Mick slammed in straight to the hilt on the first thrust. He felt Barry's body arch sharply, barely heard the moan. It would have been an ear-piercing scream if the plug hadn't kept him muted. Forty-five seconds later, he felt the body begin to relax again, felt Mick slowly pull back a few inches. Leaning up, he licked Barry's cheek, as he searched his eyes. No pain, only a lustful need. Good. 

Leonard rubbed the nipples lazily as Mick settled into his erratic rhythm. Erratic was definitely the right word as Len could never figure out his partner's pattern. It was quite maddening actually. 

He watched Barry's eyes closely, seeing all the flutters, the flickers, the tension, all the emotions. Watching for any sign that might reveal pain or discomfort. Leonard relaxed when Barry's eyes refocused on his, seeing his nod of assurance. He chuckled as they half-lidded when Mick gave a final thrust, unleashing into the dark depth within. 

"Wonder how many loads he can hold," Mick grunted out. 

"Mmm," Leonard was curious about that as well. Pulling out his own erection, he rubbed against Barry, slicking it up as the other poured out his own release. "Something to find out on another day." 

"Heh, also need to find out how many loads he can give us," Mick chuckled as he pulled out and turned Barry around, pulling him into his chest. 

"Indeed," Leonard agreed as he pressed himself into Barry's hole. He preferred to take his time, taking two thrusts to impale fully as opposed to Mick's single thrust. 

Inside felt nice and warm. Leonard hummed appreciatively at how willing Barry was tonight. There was something extra exhilarating about doing this outside where anyone could just stumble upon them. He would never do this alone though, always best when Mick was around to help keep watch. 

"Piercings?" 

Leonard saw Mick pinch a nipple, saw Barry's shake of the head. "No piercings, nothing permanent." 

"Clamps den. Li'l tiny ones with a chain, attached to his collar. Always feel a tug when he moves his head. Keep him needy." 

"Hmm," Leonard reached forward to grasp the free nipple, rubbing his thumb over it. No overt rejection to the idea of clamps. "Possible, something to look into." 

"Gonna give our guy free reign?" 

Leonard increased his pace, thinking over the question. "Yeah, let him be creative. He can help us determine what Barry needs and whip up some tech that can be used while his powers are intact, and some to be used while subdued." 

"Heh, that'll be fun, watching our Flash become a guinea pig for his inventions." 

"Custom pieces are the way to go with this one," Leonard stilled for a moment before pulling halfway out. Catching his breath, he thrusted forward and allowed his release to flow into Barry. 

"Hmm, wonder if we can request colours?" Mick was running his fingers lightly through Barry's hair as he gazed around at their surroundings. 

"Not ... everything ... has to be red with bolts on them," he panted as he slowly pulled out. 

"Clench," Mick growled out, Barry complied. "Was thinking of a big one, replica of mine, in a flaming red. Remind him how I feel when he's not gettin’ fucked by me." Mick grasped the plug and pulled it out of Barry's mouth, hearing the gasps for air. He then thrusted the plug neatly into place, trapping the fresh cum within. 

"A nice blue one to match your eyes would be good also." Mick pulled Barry up into his lap, holding him, fingers trailing along the plug. 

"Hmm," Leonard rested a hand on Barry's back, feeling the muscles pulsate until they stilled, the damp sweat turning cool. "Would be nice to send him home with a few things. He does have an apartment to himself nowadays." 

"Ah, right. Got himself a nice flat last month. We's not been there yet." 

"I'm sure we can rectify that situation soon enough." Leonard finished righting his pants. He reached down to pull Barry up against him so Mick can do the same. 

"If you guys want a key, all you need to do is ask," Barry growled out. 

Mick laughed. "Where's da fun in that, Red? Better to break in when you least expect it. After all, you get in our place jes fine and you don't even need a key." 

Leonard chuckled at how red Barry became as realisation sunk in, at having breaking into their place. Not something the public needed to know about their hero, at his new nightly criminal activities. 

"Relax, Barry. I told you before, anytime you want to come over, do so. Doesn't matter if we're there or not, doesn't matter if we're sound asleep. Anytime, Barry." He leaned in to nibble an earlobe as he brought his hands up to lower the shirt back into place. 

"What'll we do with this?" Mick held up the drying jock strap, only a small puddle remained that hadn't been soaked up yet. 

"Hmm," Leonard ran two fingers through the puddle and brought them up to Barry's lips. As expected, the fingers were sucked in greedily. He pulled his fingers out to grab some more, watching as Mick thrusted in his fingers. They repeated their actions until the puddle was gone. 

"Doesn't need it," Leonard replied, pulling a bag out of his pocket. He placed the strap inside, and shoved the bag into one of Mick's larger pockets. He really didn't have a pocket big enough. 

Within moments, after a bit of a struggle, they managed to pull the pants back up, clearly seeing the need for the jock strap. 

"Y'sure about that?" Mick poked the erection, earning a curse from Barry. 

Leonard looked around. "Nobody's around, and it's dark enough. Let's get him home." 

"Our place or his?" Mick wrapped an arm around Barry's waist, much as he had earlier, fingers dangling lazily rather than clutching his pants. 

"His. He does have work in the morning." Leonard led the way down the path. 

"Nice, we finally get to see Red's apartment," Mick laughed at that, grazing his fingers along the protruding erection. The fabric really didn't hold it back, stretching and clinging along the full length. Leonard wondered just how devious Cisco really was. 

Lightning lit the sky just as they reached Barry's apartment, grateful that they arrived in time as the rain started pelting down. Barry mumbled something incomprehensible as he headed to his bedroom, flopping down on the bed, falling asleep immediately. 

"Heh, guess we's spending the night." Mick began peeling off his clothes, leaving his boots at the door. 

Leonard hummed in agreement, not relishing the idea of heading out into the storm. He followed Mick's lead, kicking off his boots, shedding his clothing, washing up, and finding a place to tumble into for the night. His chosen spot just happened to be nestled on top of a sleeping Flash. 

\----------------------------------------------

In the wee hours of the morning, a lone light remained at the CCPD, down in the main forensics section that was newly built a year ago. Blinking onto the monitor, the test results appeared from the dismantled gun at one of the drug dens. A voice cackled in the otherwise empty room. 

"I got you now, you smug-ass bastard. Soon the CCPD will see your true colours; how you've been hiding your real identity." 

Lightning lit the sky as the clouds unleashed their heavy burden. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for checking out this chapter. As previously stated, not as intense as the first chapter as I wanted to focus more on laying down groundwork for future chapters. This was more light-hearted and fun. And yes, we have a new pairing coming up in the next chapter. More about those characters will be revealed at that time.
> 
> Initially, I hadn't intended for much of a plot beyond what was seen in chapter 1 as there wasn't going to be more chapters. Apparently a plot began forming as I was writing this chapter and just went with it. Hopefully this plot will progress smoothly and doesn't deter from the main focus of Barry's relationship with Len and Mick. That will always be the primary focus.
> 
> Feel free to ask any questions especially on sections you're not quite certain about, or need something explained a bit further. I only just started back into writing a few months ago so I may be lacking a bit in the details.
> 
> Not yet certain when the next chapter will be uploaded as I need to finish up a couple of chapters for my main Tales series. I do have the next three chapters of Ice Play fully outlined, they just need to be written. Thank you for your patience!
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Joe West  
> Detective at the CCPD. Has a daughter, Iris, and son, Wally. Adopted Barry when he was 11 right after his dad was sent to prison. He is Captain Singh's best Detective and one the Captain trusts most.
> 
> CSI Jimmy  
> CSI at the CCPD. Seems friendly and dedicated to his work. More will be revealed in future chapters.
> 
> Lyla Michaels  
> Leader of ARGUS, wife of John Diggle. Small woman with attitude and knows how to get the job done, even it it means toeing the line of the Law. Is also very loyal to her true friends.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What began with a request to dismantle a gun has led Barry Allen to a revelation that he's not sure if he should fear or pursue. A long-ago friend has re-entered Barry's life. Things get hot and spicy with the pyro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been approached regarding Safe Words. I know situations like these are often safer with the use of Safe Words but I feel that with the flow and intention of my story, they are not needed. At least, not at this time. There are more than enough explanations and dialogue to warrant Safe Words unneccesary. Len and Mick are extremely careful and watch Barry closely, making sure he's focused and communicating the entire time. As seen in Chapter 2 "Flash Play", Barry had use of his powers for most of the chapter and could have easily gotten away at any time. I don't intend for a situation to get bad enough that a Safe Word would be required. Len and Mick will know when to ease up as they trust Barry to let them know if he's feeling overwhelmed and out of his depth. Barry also trusts his Rogues as he knows Len's dedication for details and information and would never intentionally hurt the speedster. Communication and Trust are key.
> 
> I will address future concerns here in these Notes as they arise so that all readers can see my explanations. I am keeping a close watch on the Comments for topics that could be better explained and delved into. I very much appreciate all the feedback thus far!
> 
> Without further ado, here's Chapter 3. Sit back, relax, and don't forget your sunblock as it does get quite heated at times!
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Explicit usage of firearms in a sexual situation. Barry is subjected to a police-issued revolver in an unwanted situation and is assured that the gun is unloaded but he doesn't see it for himself. Tread cautiously during the first section and the third.  
> There IS unwanted attention here in this chapter but it doesn't get far enough to be categorized as Non-Consent/Rape. That "may" change in a future chapter and those Tags will be inserted at that time.  
> Mentions of Panic Attacks, Past Torture, Past Rape, Past Drug Usage.
> 
>  
> 
> February 2019 Update:  
> Fixed up some spelling and grammar issues. Added in Char Notes.  
> With the addition of Hartley Rathaway and Kyle Nimbus, I noticed that my initial intent was to keep them as key support characters. However, they ended up becoming more main chars, especially Hart. He still does all his tech gadgets tho, so I'm happy with them being mains!

**\-- Heat Play --**   


Barry Allen groaned in frustration at the two boxes worth of evidence to be processed, waiting for his arrival at the CCPD for 10:00 am. Naturally, it's 10:30 when he arrived. 

Rooting through the first box, Barry wondered how he was going to get all this processed by 4:00. He really didn't want to come in tomorrow as he has the very rare Friday off and he wasn't on-call this weekend except for emergencies. He had much better things to do this weekend than sit around processing evidence. 

While he began sorting through the bags, Barry reflected back on the week. It began last weekend, actually, when the Meta Beasts appeared, Land Shark and Drakon. Not much data has been acquired so far aside from the fact that they weren't human to begin with. They do appear sentinent and quite intelligent, though. Where they came from is still a mystery, or how they got their Meta powers. 

Barry remembered waking up Monday morning, late as always. In his defense, he was much too cozy to even crawl out of bed, feeling the press of a warm body on top of his. When his cell phone alarm went off, he was in a "Late, late, gonna be late!" panic as he dashed around to get ready. It wasn't until he dashed out the door that his brain caught up, causing him to enter back into the apartment. Mick was sound asleep on the couch and Len ... well, Barry blushed at having inadvertantly tossed Len off of him and onto the floor. Taking a moment to check on his partner, "Go to work, Scarlet!", Barry had zipped out the door. 

Work was busy this week, five crime scenes to process and way too much evidence to go through. All the scenes were sloppy which suggested amateurs, up-and-coming gangs. Barry remembered silently wishing for a Rogues crime scene as those are always the most interesting and fun to process, very little evidence, always neat and tidy. They always challenged him, got him thinking in new creative ways. 

No more Meta Beasts appeared (yet) while out on Flash duty but his nights ran long with watching for any sign of them. He also had to take out three weaponry depots, all illegal of course. Only a handful of fires as rain kept them under control, which suggested more of a firebug rather than summer heat related. 

Hauling out his cell phone, Barry shot Mick a quick message: _\-- "Remind me to discuss fires with you later." --_ He really should discuss these summer fires with him as the pyro would have a much better idea if they were natural or firebugged. 

Clearing out the evidence that are easily processed, Barry sat back in his chair and glanced up at the clock. Wasn't quite 11:00 yet. He sighed as some of the evidence couldn't be done at super-speed. He briefly pondered asking Cisco to whip up some better equipment for his Lab. Even his computer felt really ancient and sluggish. 

Hearing a message ping, Barry glanced at Mick's reply: _\-- "heat tnite huh? i'm game" --_ followed by a string of flame emoji. He rolled his eyes knowing that his partner is purposely trying to distract him with activities that ... okay, Barry really wanted to be there rather than here at work. 

He really hoped there wouldn't be a new crime scene for him to attend and process today; he has more than enough work as it is with the two boxes from overnight, and the processing machines are way too slow. Barry slumped down in his chair, taking a moment to rest his eyes. Thankfully, Jimmy is the one on-call this weekend so he should be free to indulge in his new extracurricular activities. 

As if summoned right on cue, Jimmy appeared and slammed a revolver on the desk. Barry bolted upright as he hadn't heard the CSI come in. 

"Uh ... " 

"Dismantle that." 

Barry blinked up at Jimmy's request ... more like an order as his friend had growled out those two words. At the terse nod toward the gun, Barry shifted his gaze to the desk and began to sweat at how Jimmy had positioned the firearm when he set it down; the muzzle was pointing right at him. 

"Uh, Jimmy? I'm not touching that thing if it's evidence and I don't like contaminating objects from crime scenes as they will be dismissable in court, and it's a gun which I really don't much care for and the chamber isn't standing out and is that the safety off ... " 

Jimmy pressed a finger to his lips and shushed him. "Relax, Barry," he spoke softly. "The gun isn't loaded and it's not evidence. This baby is mine. You do know CSIs carry firearms as well, right?" 

Barry blinked in confusion, not understanding the request to dismantle the gun. "Uh, right?" 

Jimmy laughed in a friendly sort of way. "Look, Barry, I know you don't carry a gun and I thought I'd make sure you know how to handle one." Did he just lower his voice there? 

Barry sighed. "I went through the training, Jimmy. I know how to dismantle, clean, load, aim and shoot. I just don't care to." 

"Hmm," Jimmy hummed, as if not quite believing him. 

Barry felt the other's fingers on his arm as Jimmy stepped closer. Fingers trailing down, the CSI rested his hand over Barry's right, much like he had on the weekend. Barry shuddered at the memory of encountering the drug dealers. 

Jimmy clearly misunderstood the reaction as he gripped Barry's hand and brought it forward to the gun. "Guns are nothing to be scared of, Barry. Come, feel it." 

Barry's breath caught as he felt his hand pressing down onto the gun, fingers along the barrel, palm pressed painfully against the muzzle, Jimmy's hand remaining tight over his. He's not sure why he's having difficulty breathing as it certainly couldn't be because of the gun. He knew guns, quite well, many different types. He just preferred other methods to take down criminals and Metas. 

"There, you see? All metal, _hard_ , nothing that can hurt you like this." 

Barry swallowed, more focused on the tone than the words as his eyes remained on the gun beneath their hands. He felt Jimmy loosen his hold and trail his fingers lightly over the back of his hand but Barry's brain had stalled out, not even thinking to release the gun himself. 

"Your fingers fit nicely along the barrel, Barry. Long and slender." Jimmy had leaned over, closer now, the heated breath near his ear, left arm draping over his shoulders. What was the CSI doing? 

Barry watched as one of Jimmy's fingers lightly caught the attention of his pinky finger, causing it to involuntairly flex. Jimmy's finger scooted under it and directed it down to the casing, to nestle against the trigger. 

"Uh, Jimmy?" Barry spoke so quietly he wasn't sure if his friend heard him or was deliberately ignoring him. 

"Perfect length for a small gun like this as, in this position, you can easily see how nicely the back of your finger fits against the trigger." Jimmy's finger, which was nestled between Barry's pinky and the casing, flexed. Barry inhaled sharply as his own finger lightly flickered against the trigger, trying desperately to keep it steady. 

"Honestly, Barry, I really cannot understand why you're the only member of the CCPD that refuses to carry a gun." 

Barry's eyes sparked as time froze in a reflexive action; Jimmy had pressed his finger back which caused Barry to press the trigger fully. Barry found he couldn't move as Jimmy was gripping his left shoulder rather tightly. Blinking, his mind catching up, he realised the gun really was empty which still wasn't a comforting thought considering the situation, but it was enough for him to unleash his held breath as time resumed. 

Barry flinched at hearing the empty click. 

"Geezes, Allen, I told you it was empty. You really need to trust your co-workers more," Jimmy chuckled which caused Barry to fume. Before he could say anything, before he could take his hand back, Jimmy gripped him tightly. 

"Okay, forget dismantling for now. Let's see how you look while holding one of these." 

Barry felt himself pulled up to his feet, hand still clutching along the barrel. Jimmy led him over to the big mirror leaned up against the wall and stood way too close. 

"Now then," Jimmy turned him slightly sideways so he's not full front on with their reflections. 

"You want to turn the gun around, hand around the grip this time, not the barrel." Barry felt him adjust the gun in his hand, positioning his finger against the trigger. 

"Nice," Jimmy was back against his ear again and squeezed Barry's hand, leaving a finger resting against the one on the trigger, arm settling tightly against the gunarm. 

"Jimmy ... " Barry faltered, not liking how close Jimmy was, or rather, how Jimmy was getting him to do something he really didn't want to do. 

"Hush. Raise your arm and keep your eye on the reflection. Don't shake, keep steady." Jimmy increased his pressure, guiding his arm up, bending at the elbow so the gun was now pointing upwards. 

"Nice, very nice. You're a natural at this, Barry." 

Okay, Barry should not have flushed at that praise. He really didn't mind Jimmy being around, not a single bit, and it was good of the other CSI to make sure that he knew how to hold a gun. He just ... just ... what? His mind blanked for a moment as his arm continued moving forward. Oh, right, he didn't much care for the way Jimmy is talking, the low tones, the huskiness. Barry only wanted to hear that kind of talk and tones from ... from ... 

Barry hissed as Jimmy maneuvered his arm so that the muzzle was pressed neatly under his chin. 

"Easy, there. Remember, not loaded. Keep your eye on the mirror, see how you look with a gun pressed against you." 

Barry did look as instructed and he really didn't care for what he saw. His own hand on a gun that wasn't his, jammed up under his chin. Jimmy standing at his back, mouth too close to his ear, arm tight against his own. Jimmy's left arm was still draped over Barry's shoulders, fingers digging into his arm. 

"Wha ... wha ... " Barry couldn't get the words out. 

"Why am I doing this? For your own good, Barry." The gun slid upwards to stroke his cheek, way too close to his lips. "I don't imagine you've much experience with hostage situations, with you as the hostage, correct?" 

Barry blinked. It's ... true. He can only recall the one time he had a regular gun pressed tightly against him but he wasn't scared, though. As The Flash, he could get away from those type of situations easily. Still, where was Jimmy going with this? 

"You see, Barry," Jimmy continued as he pressed the muzzle against his lips. "I can help you familiarise yourself with firearms so that you will become intimately comfortable with them." 

Barry squeaked as Jimmy had suddenly lowered his left arm to pinch him in the ass. This enabled his lips to part and the muzzle to slide right in. 

"The point of this training, what I'm offering to teach you, will ensure that you don't panic when out in the field. The CCPD needs to know you are able to handle yourself when things get _messy_." 

Barry's mind blanked out completely, no longer registering the words. He could only focus on his own hand holding the revolver which was now thrusting in his mouth, along his tongue, lightly poking the back of his throat. 

His eyes snapped back into focus as Jimmy suddenly pressed against his finger, the empty click resonating loud in his ears. He felt dizzy. 

"JIMMY!" The voice roared up the stairs. 

Barry panted, swaying a bit on his feet, as the barrel slid slowly out, covered in his saliva, a detail he couldn't really focus on. 

"JIMMY! Get down here, now!" 

"Blast," Jimmy growled as he quickly pulled on a glove to pull the gun out of his hand. Barry couldn't register that detail either, letting his fingers automatically release the gun over to the other. 

"Sorry, Barr, we'll hafta continue this another time." Jimmy dropped the gun into a ziploc bag, which Barry didn't even notice as he was too busy battling black dots in his vision. 

"Honestly, I just wish the Captain would stop riding our asses for one day!" Jimmy turned away and paused, chuckling at his own words. "Unless ... " he turned back to Barry, catching his eye, with a questioning look. 

Barry knew what the CSI was getting at and snapped at him, "No! Just, no. Not once, not ever." He knew he failed miserably at sounding forceful as Jimmy laughed heading to the door and down the stairs. 

Exasperated, Barry flopped back down onto his chair, groaning at what had just occurred. He covered his eyes with both palms, willing the images away but the obscene details were practically imprinted on his memory. What's worse, his jeans had become way too painfully tight. 

A message ping brought him out of his ordeal: _\-- "need pepper" --_

Barry sighed at the lack of information. He sent a message back to Mick. _\-- "Spice? Green Peppers? Red Peppers?" --_

A few moments passed before the ping came. _\-- "yeah, them. makin chili, my specialty" --_

Barry grinned. He hadn't had chili in a long time and was looking forward to trying Mick's version. Knowing the pyro, their building is likely to burn down due to the heat of the chili alone. 

He quickly tapped his reply. _\-- "Mmm! Sounds hot. I'll stop by the grocery store after work." --_

Setting the phone down, Barry swapped out the finished evidence for new ones. Only about a million of the bags to go and it's not even Noon yet. 

Another message ping. _\-- "youse better likes it. plan to keep my dick in you, make sure you eat" --_

Barry shuddered at that mental image, feeling his ass cheeks clench. _\-- "Looking forward to it, the hot chili and your even hotter dick ;)" --_ He added a few flame emoji. 

Well, that's certainly one way to get him back into a better mood. Barry whistled softly as he checked through his work messages. 

He was answering an email from Lyla (completely work related) when his cell pinged again. Glancing at the message, Barry nearly dropped the phone as his entire body heated up. What made matters worse, Joe had apparantly entered the Lab and was clearing his throat. Fumbling his cell phone, Barry thrusted it into a pocket. 

"Joe! Joe, hi, you're here! Why are you here?" Barry really hoped Joe hadn't noticed the image that Mick sent. 

"Barr, you okay?" 

"Um, uh, yeah? Peachy?" Barry silently groaned, knowing how lame that sounded. Much to his relief, Joe sighed and didn't press. 

"Jimmy was up here for awhile. Everything okay with you two?" 

Barry didn't know if this new topic was any better than the one he had just avoided. "Uh, yeah? He was just checking to make sure I got these two wonderful boxes full of evidence." He gestured at the boxes, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Why?" 

"Oh, no reason. He just seemed to be a little too happy coming back downstairs." Joe had that questioning look in his eye. 

Barry silently cursed. "Of course he did," he muttered. 

"Look, Barr, whatever you two have going on, if you need to talk to someone about ... " 

"JOE!!!" Barry groaned out. He couldn't believe this conversation. "Me and Jimmy are just friends, co-workers, more like acquaintences. We're not ... Argh!" He turned as one of the machines beeped, taking the time to swap out the evidence with a new one. 

A cell phone rang from behind him and Barry heard Joe answer it. He relaxed when Joe hurried out of his Lab. 

Pulling his own cell out of his pocket, Barry glanced at the image. Mick must have already started prepping the chili as he was standing at the stove wearing a red apron over his jeans, no shirt as per norm. What caught his attention was that the apron was shoved to the side and Mick's erection was out of his jeans and fully hard, leaking pre-cum. There was a hand cupping the tip, a finger pressed into the slit. Definitely Len's hand as he was probably taking the pic with Mick's cell based on the angle of the shot. 

The accompanying message: _\-- "six. don't be late. youse gotta taste dis" --_

Barry's body pulsated. It didn't matter if the pyro meant the chili or his raging hard-on. He just hoped nobody came into his Lab during the next few minutes as he released into his own jeans. He vaguely recalled wondering if he had a spare pair here. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Think he'll like it?" 

Leonard licked his fingers taking a moment to collect his thoughts before answering the pyro's question. "Kid can't get enough of your heat. I'm certain he'll also like the chili." 

Mick grinned as he straightened his apron back into place, not bothering to tuck in his erection, allowing it to flow freely into the growing puddle on the floor. Making his specialty chili always excited him. 

"Remember to save some for when Scarlet gets here?" 

Mick only grunted a response, then focused on his breathing. Leonard watched as the drips lessened then stopped altogether, once again amazed at how much control his pyro has. 

A message ping pulled Leonard away. Checking it, he couldn't help but smirk. _\-- "Um, wanted to thank you for the pics from the weekend, so uh, thanx?" --_

He hadn't expected Cisco to reply. He tapped a response back. _\-- "Are you questioning whether you should be thanking me or was that the fault of the auto-correct? Or is your punctuation worse than my partner's spelling?" --_

"Who's that?" Mick inquired as he added some more ingredients to the pot. 

"Cisco." Leonard turned back to Mick, watching him stir. He always enjoyed his partner's cooking and at how the pyro look so relaxed at the stove. Cooking is definitely one of very few stress relievers. 

"Huhn? What he want?" 

Another message ping. _\-- "Ok, now I know for sure who this is." --_

Leonard grinned. Oh, this was going to be fun! _\-- "Scared?" --_

He glanced back up at Mick, at the heat in the other's eyes. "Saying thanks for the images." 

"Took him long enough," Mick grunted as he turned back to the pot, adding some more spices. 

Leonard opened the newest message. _\-- "Nah, just glad you were there watching his back." --_

_\-- "I'll always watch his back." --_ He really did adore the speedster's backside after all. Leonard found it very difficult to turn his eyes away when Barry is on full display in his Flash suit. 

"Seems the kid appreciates us watching out for his friend." Leonard heard Mick's chuckle. 

"Wonder if he feel the same way if he knew what we's doin' with him." Mick let another drip add to the puddle on the floor and growled as he focused on preventing the next one. 

Leonard hummed as he pulled up the next message. _\-- "So, um, will there be more?" --_

He couldn't help but laugh. _\-- "More images or more Meta Beasts?" --_ He knew what Cisco meant but it's his nature to prod the engineer. 

_\-- "More pics of Meta Beasts. Will you send more?" --_

_\-- "Of course. Whenever a new one appears. Can be quite difficult to send images of new Meta Beasts when we haven't seen a new one yet." --_

A thought caused him to send off another message. _\-- "Why the interest?" --_ He knew the importance of sharing information but he wanted Cisco to realise that on his own. 

_\-- "Purely scientific research, I can assure you, really!" --_ Leonard arched an eyebrow at that, pondering once again just how devious, _kinky_ , Cisco's mind was. 

_\-- "Oh? Liked the pics I sent over?" --_ The conversation had gotten quite amusing. 

Stepping back over to Mick, Leonard trailed his fingers over the denim covering that fine ass, lightly squeezing. He heard his partner hiss, trying to prevent his leaking, as a barrage of messages came in. 

Leaning back against the counter, Leonard read through the messages. Cisco was babbling about the two Meta Beasts and going into explicit detail of how each one looks and adding information about their powers. He also revealed (accidently?) that he accessed ARGUS servers and was annoyed that they didn't add much in the line of images or videos. Cisco was also quite pleased with the quality of the images that Leonard sent over and was practically begging for more. 

Shifting his hips as Mick dipped a hand down his pants, Leonard sent off a quick reply. _\-- "I do love the way you beg, Ramon." --_

His thoughts wandered to what anyone would think if they were to come in right that moment. Big scary Mick standing at the stove stirring the pot with one meaty hand, whistling contently while wearing an apron that really doesn't cover his erection, his other hand down Leonard's pants roughly bringing him close to the edge. So comforting, so familiar, it's as if this was a regular thing. People don't really need to know that it was indeed. 

_\-- "In your dreams, Ice Boy." --_ Leonard nearly released into his pants as indecent images flashed through his mind. _\-- "I'll let you know when I pick up another Beast." --_

He growled as Mick pulled his hand back out. _\-- "Looking forward to it." --_

"Bastard," he hissed as Mick chuckled. 

Reaching forward, Leonard pulled the apron aside just enough to reveal Mick's left nipple. He lightly ran a thumb over it, watching the nub perk right up. He paid no attention to his partner's tight breathing as he stepped closer, leaned in, and sunk his teeth into the heated nub. Mick grunted sharply, the spoon rattling against the large cast-iron pot. 

Straightening up, Leonard smirked as more drops added to the puddle. "Just so you know, I'm not cleaning up your mess." 

Mick glared at him, teeth bared, in a way that would petrify the common person shitless. Leonard wasn't like most people; he knew Mick and actually takes pride in getting his pyro so riled up. In fact, Leonard fully enjoyed tormenting his partner especially when the reward is worth it. With what ... who ... is coming later, the reward will be beyond priceless, worth way more than all their heists combined. 

An idea formed in his head, a thought to make sure his partners had a bit of time together this evening. 

Leonard tapped a quick message to Cisco. _\-- "I'll need access to Sub Level 3 at 6:15." --_

While he waited patiently for Cisco's sputtering outburst, Leonard began straightening up the main common area. Some of Mick's messes he had no problem with cleaning. Just as he tossed the stack of magazines into the pyro's messy room, the message ping sounded. 

_\-- "What the hell you need access for?!" --_

Leonard grinned. He really didn't need to ask for permission but he does enjoy pushing Cisco's buttons. _\-- "Problem?" --_

A few moments later, Leonard could practically hear Cisco growling. _\-- "Fine." --_

Leonard sent over a smiley face. 

Cisco replied with an angry face. 

Pocketing his cell phone, Leonard focused on cleaning the place up, all the while wondering what he'll find at the Labs that could prove useful. 

\----------------------------------------------

At 4:15, Barry inserted the last of the evidence into the machines while the printer focused on the large pile of reports. Writing them was easy, it's the printer that's annoying. Always printing slowly, always demanding more paper, always shutting down when he needed it most. He seriously needed a new printer in his Lab. 

Retrieving the stack of reports, Barry fed the machine more paper. He was about to turn around when he felt cold metal on the back of his neck and an arm wrapped around his waist. 

"Are you always this jumpy?" 

Barry blinked. Of course, it had to be Jimmy that snuck in behind him. How the heck can he move so silently?! 

Turning around, he glared at the CSI. "Jimmy ..." he couldn't get out any more words as the other had pressed the muzzle back to his lips again. He kept them tightly shut. 

"Relax, Barry. That's the last of the reports?" Jimmy spoke casually, friendly-like, as if he wasn't pressing a gun into the bruising lips. 

Jimmy looked around and saw the machines running, noting the emptiness of the two boxes. "Ah, good! You got the last of them working away. I can finish those up tomorrow when I come in." 

Barry felt himself relax as he really didn't want to come in tomorrow. Naturally, Jimmy misunderstood the reason why the tension flowed out. 

"Mmm, you're liking this, I can tell." Jimmy stepped closer and lightly ran fingers down his neck and down the lanyards holding his credentials. He gripped them, tugging Barry's head forward which allowed the gun to slip in. 

"You're off tomorrow," Jimmy continued speaking normally. "I'm done now, and all you need to do is drop those reports off on the Captain's desk. How about we grab dinner, then I can give you more lessons in gun safety and handling?" 

Barry spluttered, coughed, gripped a hand in Jimmy's shirt, but no matter what he did, he couldn't breathe. The barrel had pressed as far back as it could go without swallowing (he refused to swallow!), which restricted air flow. A few more moments, the gun twitched and was pulled out. 

"There, you see? I like when you tremble with need. Makes me feel better about helping you out." 

As he focused on gaining air into his lungs, Barry watched as Jimmy brought his gun up and sucked on the muzzle. That sight alone made his pants twitch. 

"Jimmy," he began but was interrupted by the other's obscene "Mmm!" 

Steeling himself, he put force into his words. "Jimmy, I already have plans tonight. I gotta hit up the grocery store and I'm expected for dinner. It's chili night." 

Jimmy paused and holstered his gun. "Very well, another night then. You'll still owe me for taking care of the rest tomorrow." Jimmy gestured toward the machines. 

Barry spoke without thinking, feeling relieved that Jimmy backed off. "Yes, definitely. Another time. I really gotta get going." 

Dashing around his Lab, Barry tidied up and shut his computer down, grabbing his bag at the end. He paused at the door seeing that Jimmy hadn't moved. 

"Uh," he really didn't know what to say especially when Jimmy gazed at him in that way, licking his lips. 

"Good night, Barry." 

The words broke the silence and his own hesitation. "Shit, gotta go, gonna be late. Bye!" 

Barry flew down the stairs, Jimmy now long forgotten. He dropped the reports on the Captain's desk and headed out to the grocery store closest to the precinct. Gotta get peppers, hot and spicy ones. He immediately felt his cheeks flush. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing at the text message, _\-- "Use the one closest to the precinct" --_ , Kyle Nimbus parked the car and got out. 

"Why this one? There are others that were closer." 

Kyle gazed fondly at his charge, holding the passenger door open as the other slid out. 

"Boss' orders." 

He watched as Hartley grimaced in pain; the lower back must be hurting again. Kyle made a note to finish up quickly here. 

"Fine," Hartley quietly growled. "Let's get this over with." 

Always keeping the other in his sight, Kyle led them into the grocery store. He picked up a basket as he scanned around, noting where other customers were and the grocery clerks. He didn't see any immediate threat so he relaxed a tiny bit as he followed Hartley down an aisle. 

They spent the next ten minutes wandering the aisles, Kyle taking notice that the basket only had three items but he expected that. Hartley always took his time, examining every single item closely, reading everything on the packaging before selecting one. He's literally the only person that beats the Boss when it comes to shopping, and Snart was extremely picky with what he buys. 

Still, Kyle wished they could speed this up a bit. He really didn't feel too comfortable being this close to the CCPD. He watched Hartley closely, noting that his charge hadn't seemed bothered by the location aside from the fact that it was farther away from the Rogue Base than he had preferred. That ... bothered Kyle. 

Hartley used to be quite vocal with his opinions but after the abduction, he had turned quite sour and barely spoke up. He now accepted orders without question, preferring to get his tasks completed quickly so he can recede back into his memories within the darkness of his room. 

Kyle is pleased that he had killed the bastards but his heart felt heavy at seeing this never-ending damage. He was pissed at himself for being out-of-town on assignment, but alas, he couldn't have known. Nobody could have known what was to happen. He was pleased that he messaged Snart soon as he arrived back in Central City. Within moments, he had his new assignment to track down the bloody bastards. Which he did in quick order and brought Hartley's broken body back home. 

As they roamed the produce section, Kyle scowled at a too-curious pair of eyes and watched as they quickly disappeared. He liked glaring at people; sometimes he even got to push his jacket slightly back to reveal his custom piece. Watching eyes widen in fear and legs scamper away was always entertaining. 

Kyle was greatly enjoying his current assignment. Once he brought Hartley back, he was tasked with being his bodyguard, watching out for the younger man during his recovery. Kyle was on the verge of requesting this exact assignment, but Snart beat him to it. Still, it was only a matter of time before Hartley recovered enough that the IVs were no longer necessary and he could venture out on his own again. Kyle knew that Snart's orders only lasted until that point. He wondered if he dared amend his assignment. As much as he adores his boss, he really didn't want to feel the chill of that cold gun. 

"Pepper, pepper ... green red yellow ... orange?! Too many peppers!" 

Kyle brought his attention to those words as they were enough to make Hartley pause in his steps. Locating the source, he saw a tall skinny guy with tousled hair groaning over the peppers. To his amazement, Hartley had begun moving again, toward the somewhat familiar looking guy. 

"Hart! OMG you're a lifesaver. I need you!" 

Wait, he knows Hartley? And who the heck says actual letters?! Watching his friend closely, Kyle saw the muscles relax as he studied the peppers. 

"Mick?" Hartley inquired. 

The other nodded vigorously and whined, "Chili. There's too many!" 

"Ah." 

Hartley clearly knew what he was doing. For the next fifteen minutes, Kyle watched as he studied various peppers, selecting some for the other guy, and leading them around to pick up other hot and spicy items. 

Content in the lack of threat, Kyle followed along silently, always watching their surroundings and glaring at a few other people. He even let out a rare smile which nobody saw, but he felt it just the same. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry felt like the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. Hartley was there, at the grocery store. Hartley knew peppers. Hartley knew Mick's chili. Hartley is a true lifesaver! 

Barry was completely overwhelmed by the selection, not having realised there were so many peppers and other spicy items that went very well in chili. He watched as his own basket filled up with various ingredients, trusting in his long-time friend to know what to select. 

"I tell ya, when Mick texted me this morning, I thought it was a simple request. Pick up some peppers as he was making his chili. Simple. Easy. But when I got here, there was just too many!" 

He paused for breath as Hartley was examining some pasta. It was then that Barry realised that Hartley wasn't alone. A big tall guy stood quietly with a basket in one hand. Slightly taller than Barry, the other had a blank (passive?) expression, was totally bald, and wearing a long black coat. 

"Hmm?" 

Barry broke out of his trance, not having realised they had locked gazes as they studied one another. Hartley had elbowed him. 

"Oh! You must be Kyle, Leonard told me about you, I'm Barry, I hang out with them sometimes and that's why I'm here as Mick is making chili tonight and wanted me to pick up peppers and considering that it's Mick doing the cooking I'm wondering if I should put the Fire Department on standby but then that'd be a bad idea if more fires break out around the city especially since today is one of the clear days with lack of clouds and man it's been an overly hot summer with so many fires which leads me to wonder if there's a firebug around ... " 

He felt an elbow jab into his side again, cutting off his rambling. 

Barry flushed. "Um, sorry, I tend to ramble and ..." 

He paused as he noticed Kyle's grin. He felt himself turn redder at the other's comment, "I like you." 

"Um," what could he say to that?! Turning back to Hartley, Barry saw his friend's eyes had widen. "Hart?" 

Hartley snapped his attention back to Barry. "Uh, yeah. Kyle doesn't like people." 

Ah. Barry understood, sort of. He can understand the Bounty Hunter's dislike of people, but he can't fathom the idea of being liked by the other. What had he said, or done, that gained the approval of Kyle Nimbus? 

Distracting himself, he started in on a rambling spree about everything that he had been up to during the past year as he followed Hartley through the aisles, always with the presence of the deadly hunter at their backs. 

\----------------------------------------------

It's true. Kyle had taken an immediate liking to Barry. Hartley knew him and felt relaxed around him. Kyle had not seen Hartley this relaxed in a long time. He was beginning to wonder if Hartley had even remembered how. 

Listening to the rambling, which was quite soothing along with informative, Kyle watched as Barry kept an eye on Hartley. Oh, yes, he had noticed the other's attentiveness. Even while glancing over the shelves, Barry had always angled himself so Hartley was in his sight. Kyle appreciated this very much as he can focus a little more on the other people in the store. 

Kyle also noticed that whenever Barry hit upon a piece of topic that caused Hartley's breathing to alter, the conversation headed in a new direction. He was amazed at how Barry could switch topics so seamlessly without even pausing for air and in such a way that the common person wouldn't even notice he had switched topics until several topic changes later. Kyle found that the more Barry spoke, the more he liked him. 

Kyle always believed one can learn a great deal about another just by the way they talked and how they worded their sentences. He had encountered many over the years that he dearly wished he could resurrect just so he can kill them again. So many words spoken in various tones that revealed many more words that were left unsaid. Kyle had learned to hear the unspoken words and act accordingly, saving his own life countless times, and those of his charges. 

In Barry's case, Kyle need not fear. Barry's words were pure; no lies or deceit hidden within, no ulterior motive (aside from getting the peppers home to Mick), no ill intentions at all. He began to realise that Barry's rambling is a natural part of him and based on Kyle's experiences with people over the years, it's very difficult to lie during a rambling session. He felt pleased that his new friend was comfortable enough in their presence to allow such vulnerability. 

For the next several minutes and a few more aisles, Kyle learned that Barry worked at the CCPD as a forensics guy, commenting a few times that Captain Singh is still a hard-ass, the current office pool is figuring out when their beloved Captain will accidently let slip the fact he's actually seeing someone, how Joe keeps misunderstanding his friendships, and he also learned that several other members of the CCPD had joined the newest gym with their fancy equipment and how they kept comparing their arm muscles. Oh, and the coffee pot is on the blink again and the printer in Barry's Lab is slower than the public in the presence of The Turtle. 

Kyle also heard what Barry wasn't saying based on the slight twitches in his body and the barely audible hitched tones. Something about work is bothering his friend and he aims to find out what. If anyone dared to hurt his new friend, Kyle would make certain how _unhappy_ he was with them. Very much so. 

Near the bakery section, Kyle noticed the sudden change in direction as Barry led them into the far corner. Hartley may not have noticed how Barry had smoothly guided his direction during the last few aisles, but Kyle certainly had. He was pleased at how Barry was also watching the people and had even noticed the troublesome bunch in the bakery section a second before he had. 

Kyle pondered if Barry knew what happened, about the abduction. 

" ... should have seen Joe's look on his face as he found them in that room, priceless! Unfortunately, that meant I had to cut my visit short as Joe dumped me at the Labs but it wasn't too bad in the end as they helped me out with these two new Metas which I totally gotta show you the pictures but that will have to wait as I want you to wait here for a moment, got your list?" 

Kyle watched with great interest as Barry took their basket and the list without missing a beat. He also watched as he held something in his hand, clicking a button, then emerged a second later with a full basket. Glancing up, Kyle saw the security camera and figured that the device was a scrambler of sorts. 

He watched as Barry went through the basket with Hartley, making sure everything looked okay and was what Hartley wanted. Only two changes had to be made which was completed in less than a blink of an eye. Kyle marveled at that, finding his new friend to be far more intriguing than he first found. 

"Great! I'll take care of these while you two wait outside." Barry sighed when they reached the cashiers and Kyle knew why. "Hopefully I won't perish in line. Honestly, you'd think they'd have more than two lanes open." 

Hartley nodded and Kyle directed him outside. 

Rounding the corner of the building, Hartley slumped against the wall, his hands trembling, breathing ragged. Kyle noticed the beginning of a panic attack and spoke softly. 

"Easy, Hart, we're outside now, nobody around but us. Just you and me here." He kept his tone light and steady so his friend could focus more easily. The actual words didn't matter but he knew Hartley would hear his warm intentions. 

Kyle stepped closer to Hartley and captured his hands, kneading his fingers into the back of them. After a few moments, he felt his friend's head lean forward and rest on his chest. 

"Kyle," his name was spoken too quietly. 

"Shh, I got you." He wrapped his arms around his boy, holding him close. He hated these panic attacks. Hartley had them way too often since he returned. He also barely slept, being plagued by nightmares. 

Resting his own head on top of Hartley's, Kyle rubbed his back soothingly. Soon the battered body relaxed and leaned fully against him. 

"That's it, I got you." Kyle hummed as Hartley lightly rubbed against his leg. He moved that leg encouragingly. "That's it." He lowered a hand to squeeze the ass lightly, which caused a shudder. Kyle grinned at that. 

Leaning back slightly, his leg still between the other's legs, hand still gripping where he left it, Kyle gazed down at Hartley. He was a bit shorter than Kyle, only barely reaching his shoulder (without slouching) but Kyle didn't mind. With a finger, he tilted Hartley's face upwards and ran a thumb over the lips. He smiled as the lips parted automatically for him. 

Leaning down, Kyle kissed him, soft and long. He ran his tongue over the seeking one. After a few long moments, which still felt way too short, Kyle pulled out and licked Hartley's lips. 

"You and me. Never letting anyone approach you. You're mine." He spoke softly, feeling the last of the panic recede as Hartley nuzzled into his chest. 

"Thank you," came the barely audible words but full of feelings which melted Kyle's heart. 

He let another minute pass before extracting himself. "Think you can stay here with Barry while I go get the car?" 

"Oh, uh, no hurry, I'm just standing here. Don't let me intrude or anything." 

Kyle grinned at the rambling words. Looking down, he saw Hartley smile and let out a quiet laugh. Kyle's heart fluttered at that. 

Turning around, he saw Barry loaded with bags. Kyle retrieved the bags from him, and hummed contently as he went out in search of his car. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry had waited patiently knowing that Hartley was in the midst of a panic attack. He could see one lingering in his friend's eyes when they approached the bakery section which prompted his quick action of steering them to a secluded part of the store. He really didn't much care for the rough-looking bunch that were giggling and snearing. He didn't like their roaming eyes at all. 

Barry had come across that group once he got outside. They were walking in the direction that Hartley and Kyle had gone. Naturally, he "redirected" their movements so that they were now on the opposite side of the building. 

Dutifully, Barry stood watch over the pair as Kyle calmed Hartley down and pointedly averted his gaze during a more private moment (although his pants clearly saw everything). It warmed his heart knowing how much Kyle cared for his friend as Hartley really needed strong-hearted people beside him. 

Once relieved of the bags, Barry handed Hartley a bottled water. With a "Thank you," he watched as his friend downed nearly half the bottle. That was when his eyes lingered on the nasty welts covering Hartley's wrist. 

Without thinking, Barry grasped the hand, which caused Hartley to fumble the bottle over to his left hand. Barry turned the hand downward, letting his fingers trail along the scars and up to the wrist. 

"I barely feel them." 

He winced at those words. Barry knew Hartley had been hurt badly but this was the first time actually seeing some of the damage. There's a huge difference between knowing and seeing. 

"If only I had known," Barry spoke so softly that he hadn't realised he had spoken until Hartley twisted his hand to grasp his. 

"I know," came the just as softly words. 

Barry felt his eyes flicker at those words as he gazed upon the wounds with new insight. "I want to try something." He felt Hartley's head nod which pleased him as he had made that promise long ago of never doing anything without Hart's complete trust in him. 

Keeping his left hand in Hartley's right, Barry trailed his other hand along the back. He half-lidded his eyes in concentration as his lightning flickered and sent warmth into the other's hand. He smiled at the yellow-orange glow between them, seeing the scars disappear. Slowly moving up, the welts of the wrist began to lighten until only the soft pink skin remained. 

Smiling, Barry rubbed his thumb over the newly healed skin as he felt the lightning flicker away. 

"How ... " the question hung in the air between them but Barry knew what was on Hartley's mind. 

"No clue. That's a first for me." Barry was just as amazed as Hartley as his healing abilities had only ever worked on him alone, never anyone else. 

Kyle came up behind them, breaking their trance. "Ready?" 

Barry nearly stumbled at Hartley's sudden grip on his arm and his possessive-sounding voice. "He's coming with us." 

"Of course," came Kyle's reply as he led them to the car. 

Barry felt confused as he sensed he totally missed something. "Uh ... " 

Kyle held the door open to the backseat. "In you go." 

Barry paused, watching as Hartley got in on the other side. He must have hesitated too long as Kyle gently pushed him in. 

"What Hartley wants, Hartley gets." 

Ah. Barry totally didn't get the explanation but he'll go along with this, for now. Whatever _this_ is. 

"Seatbelt." Kyle leaned in as he said that, reaching over to cup Hartley's cheek before continuing to pull the seatbelt over and click into the buckle. Barry saw the roll of Hartley's eyes but they remained warm. 

Barry also felt something warm on him, something hard. He glanced down to see that the custom piece Kyle had on his hip, had pressed against his thigh. He shifted slightly against the barrel and felt Kyle lift a bit while tending to Hartley's seatbelt. The combined movement resulted in the firearm sliding to the inside of his thigh. Barry shuddered unable to pull his gaze away. 

"Hmm?" 

Barry glanced up into those grey eyes looking down into his hazel ones. He saw the grin. He felt the leg bounce lightly, pressing the gun further into him. He also felt his cursed jeans tighten. 

What made things worse was that Kyle leaned back in even further as he ravaged Hartley's mouth. Every movement Kyle made as he thrusted his tongue into the other, caused the barrel to thrust hard into Barry's erection. He groaned as Kyle paused his movement, remaining pressed tightly into Hartley's mouth, sucking, as the gun pressed heavily without any kind of relief. 

Just when Barry thought Kyle would never let Hartley breathe again, the hunter pulled up and licked around the lips. With a final kiss, Kyle pulled himself out of the car. Barry couldn't focus enough to notice that the pressure to his erection had gone. 

"Time to go!" 

Barry finally remembered to breathe as they left the parking lot, Hartley's hand squeezing his comfortingly. 

"You okay?" 

"Y'yeah, fine, peachy." Barry laid his head back and groaned. What was up with his reaction today? Aside from the cold gun, Barry had never had any interest in guns as they were much too dangerous. Three times today his body betrayed him and demanded that he rethink his views. 

Completely lost in thought, Barry barely registered Hartley's request to head over to the boss' place instead, and Kyle's "Of course" but did recall that Hartley gets what Hartley wants and that was followed by many indecent images of firearms and he wondered if he can hold out long enough until he's in reach of another pair of pants and felt his body shudder as he tried to hold back and blushed as he realised his thoughts were now rambling and once he registered Kyle's whistling that led to more guns and oh gods ... 

Barry felt Hartley's reassuring grip on his hand as he released into his jeans. He purposely ignored Kyle's chuckle. He groaned, wishing he could hide, his brain too mushy to recall that he has super powers. 

\----------------------------------------------

Holding his friend's hand, knowing full well what Kyle had done, Hartley grinned as Barry unleashed into his pants. How he missed all the emotions that flicked over his friend's face, especially the sound of that "kill me now" groan. It was more than enough to get himself hard, if he still had any sort of feeling in the area. 

He winced at the thought. During his captivity, he had lost all his pleasure senses. Whether it was from the beatings, the torture, the drugs, he wasn't sure. All he knew with absolute certainty that the only feeling they left him with was pain. His scars, welts, burns, and lingering bruises were proof of that. 

A few minutes later, Hartley realised that Kyle hadn't changed direction at all. He was about to speak up when STAR Labs appeared ahead. Ah. He wondered when it was that Kyle had decided to head over to the boss' place. Certainly before Hartley mentioned it. 

Within moments and turning down south of the Labs near the Central-Keystone bridge, Kyle parked the car. Hartley had always wondered why Leonard chose this spot as it seemed a little too close to STAR Labs. Reflecting back on the earlier conversation, Barry did say Mick was making chili, and Mick does have a thing going with Leonard, and if Barry was having chili tonight then that put everything into a new perspective. He could see why they chose this spot. 

"We're here!" 

Hartley turned his gaze toward Kyle as his bodyguard bodily pulled a dazed Barry Allen out of the car. Kyle might seem tough, barely showing any kind of expression, very rarely smiled, but his tone when he spoke always remained light and ... cheerful. Well, at least when in the presence of his friends, which wasn't many, maybe four now counting Barry. 

Collecting the bags from the trunk, Kyle handing Barry a few, Hartley ambled up to the door which was already open. He passed by the boss who was standing outside, barely giving him a glance as he really just wanted to get inside now. His eyes itched, he could feel another attack coming on but he wasn't sure why. 

"There's a new stash on your table, make sure you take one." 

He barely registered the words but nodded anyway as he ducked inside, Barry right behind him. Relieved, he kicked off his boots as he relinquished his bags over to the speedster. 

"Yer late." 

The growl caught Hartley's attention as he turned to see Mick standing with his back to the stove, arms crossed, glowering at them. 

"Oh, c'mon," Barry spoke back at the pyro. Hartley was amazed that his friend dared to use that tone. "It's only by three minutes. Kyle was driving and ... " 

"No excuse. I says six. Better've remembered them peppers. As much as I appreciate you bringin' back sumtin even hotter and way more spicier, I can't exactly add Hart to dis pot." 

Hartley snorted as he turned away while Barry huffed and set the bags down on the counter. 

"Got sumtin ter say?" 

He glanced back over his shoulder, noting Micks glare directly upon him. He let his eyes wander over the apron to rest on the pyro's erection which was trying to hold back a drip. 

"Isn't that a little unsanitary?" He shot back. 

"Hmm, mebbe. Wanna sanitise it?" Mick's glare turned into a heated lust and licked his lips. Hartley also noticed the slight thrust of the hips, inviting him over. The dangling drip fell to the floor. 

He sighed. "If I must, fine." Not that he didn't want to do this, under normal circumstances he would have been on the pyro in a second without the invite, he just felt that he wouldn't be able to satisfy his friend in his own condition. 

Turning in Mick's direction, Hartley pointedly ignored the confusion in the pyro's eyes. His own eyes still itched and all he wanted to do was see what Leonard put out on his table, take a triple dosage and curl up for the night. He's not even sure if he could handle a healing session tonight. 

With the goal to get this done quickly, Hartley dropped to his knees and took him in fully, swallowing the tip downward. He paid no attention to Mick's curses as he swirled his tongue around. Air was not a concern of his, it hasn't been in a long time. Hartley had learned to lightly breathe through his nostrils whenever they weren't feeling constricted; and if they were, well, he went without air. No big deal. 

He lost all sense of time; only thing that mattered was the large penis partway down his throat and the pre-cum flowing. He wasn't sure how much time passed before he was shoved off. 

"Christ, kid, ease up. Y'need to breathe, y'know." 

Hartley glared up at Mick wondering what the problem was. "Air is overrated. You want this or not?" 

When Mick didn't respond, Hartley moved back into position and only took the tip into his mouth. After a couple minutes, sucking out more pre-cum, he felt the penis grow rigid. He was annoyed when Mick pulled him off again. 

"Nuff, wanna save this for the main event." 

Of course. Hartley sighed as he stood up, wiping his mouth. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he hauled out a metal band, similar to a ring, and slapped it on to Mick's base, clicking it shut with a twist. That's the thing with this particular band, there's no key or any indication of a clasp release. Only way out is by finger presses to certain spots and a tricky twist. 

"I was saving this for later but you appear more than eager enough to test it out." 

Hartley turned away, really needing to reach his bedroom. 

"Hrmmm," Mick growled softly. "Go clean up and change. There's a li'l extra in yer room. Make use of it." 

Hartley ignored him as he escaped to his room, shutting the door behind him. He slumped down catching air as he gazed around. Everything looked the same aside from new bedsheets which were green; last time he was here they were black. Furnishings were the same and their placement. Clothes still hung in the closet. The only thing that really caught his attention was the door on the far side of the room. 

Getting up, he wandered over to investigate. Flicking on a light switch, he felt relief flow into him as he saw that the new addition was a private bathroom. Not overly huge, but not small either. Plenty of room for a stand-alone tub (square with jets!), a walk-in shower (four large showerheads!), double vanity with large mirror, and the toilet shoved out of the way in the corner. 

Sitting down on a stool, he wondered what prompted them to make this addition to the spare room ... the room that had been his anytime he stayed over. There were two other bedrooms as Leonard and Mick did need their space but this extra room had become his over time. Did they not have anyone else staying over? 

He felt the tears coming on, not believing he was worthy enough to have his own space here. 

Hartley cursed as the attack hit him fully, letting himself succumb to it. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Kid feels dead." 

Barry startled at the comment after he watched his friend escape into his sanctuary. Emptying the last bag, peppers laid out in row, he turned back to Mick. 

"No back talk, no argument, no getting me riled up. Jes obeys without question." Mick growled, but in a worrisome way. "Eyes were stony, tongue had no emotion, din't care about lack of air. I tell ya, that boy is hurting way more than he lets on. There's no challenge, no feistiness. He used to be the only thing more spicier than my chili." Mick shook his head. 

Barry felt the same way soon as he saw Hartley at the grocery store. Their friend had been through a lot, too much. Even if he could heal his physical wounds, his friend's mind is an entirely different matter. He hoped that Hartley would begin feeling better once the physical wounds were taken care of. Maybe Hartley could spend more time here, Barry can be around much more often. Having friendly faces around is sure to help, right? 

"Oh?" 

Glancing back at Mick, Barry saw that his eyes had lit up at the assortment of peppers and other items that Hartley helped picked out. 

"Mmm?" He couldn't help but inquire enticingly as he saw Mick's erection twitch while holding a small bottle. Barry's not exactly sure what the bottle was as Hartley had chosen it from the Oriental section of the store. 

"Mebbe the kid ain't all gone yet." Mick looked really delighted, hopeful, as he held the dark little bottle up for Barry to see. "Dis here baby will up my chili to a whole nother level. Only used dis when Hart's around as he loves the stuff." Mick chuckled as he placed the bottle next to the stove, ready to be added when the time was right. 

"Gotta make sure to thank the kid when he comes out. He did good with this selection." 

Barry rolled his eyes, not the least bit bothered by Mick's infatuation with Hartley, but he felt like he had to show some kind of irritation. "Just remember who you sent to get those." 

"Hrmm? You complainin'?" Mick growled, taking a step closer to him. 

"Not at all but if I wasn't there then Hart wouldn't have known to pick up your ingredients and your chili would have been incomplete and you can't really make your _very special_ chili ... " 

That did it. Barry's grin roughly disappeared as Mick closed the distance and smashed his lips on his own. He felt his back ram up against the side of the fridge. Soon as he parted his lips, Mick's tongue dashed in as far as it could go. Thick as it was, Barry devoured it, swallowing. He really couldn't get enough of Mick's tongue. When Mick pulled out, Barry chased that tongue, catching it between his lips and sucked for a moment. 

"Cheeky bastard," Mick growled, pulling his head back out of reach. Barry couldn't help but grin at the comment, even when he was rewarded with the back of his head being slammed against the fridge. It didn't hurt. Nothing Mick ever did had hurt him. 

"How 'bout you put that tongue to better use?" Oh, he was totally asking for it now, as he spoke seductively and arched his hips upward. 

"How's 'bout not seein' as you was late." 

"I told you, that wasn't my fault. Kyle was ... ARGH!" Barry's vision flashed white at the pain on his neck where Mick sunk his teeth. 

Mick pulled back, making a point to not run his tongue along the bite mark. Normally he would have sucked on those marks, soothing the skin with his tongue, but not this time. 

"Youse got legs. Mebbe if you weren't such an ass all the time, y'd remember how dey work." 

"And whose fault is it that I'm such an ass?" Barry challenged as he felt a hand on his crotch. He dutifully arched into that probing hand. 

"Hrmff ... no idea but it's a tasty one that I'm ... hmm?" 

"Mmm? Wanna finish that hot sentence?" Barry wondered what made the pyro pause. 

"What you do?" Mick growled. 

Barry blinked. "Uh ... " 

"Yer pants are soaked. Thought I smelled sumtin when you walked in." Mick dropped down to his knees and nuzzled his crotch and ... sniffing? "Jes one load. When?" 

"You can smell me?!" Barry asked, completely ignoring Mick's question. 

Mick stood up. "Course I can. I can always smell you. When the wind is right, I can smell you from several blocks away. Now answer the damn question!" 

"Um," Barry felt weirded out. Tracking device he can handle, but to be tracked down by the scent of his cum-soaked clothing? That was too weird. 

He soon felt Mick's hands running up inside in his shirt, feeling the heat of those calloused hands on his skin. First thing that popped into his mind was that he's grateful his partner hadn't ripped his work shirts off. That thought reminded him that he needed to buy some more pants in case any of his work pants got too ruined. Not an issue today as he wore jeans but when he's due at the court house, he has to wear slacks and look somewhat presentable. He really can't afford for many of those to get ruined as they cost way more than his regular jeans. 

Barry realised his thoughts were rambling again as Mick squeezed his nipples, capturing his attention again. He hissed in surprise but not in pain. 

"Geezes, wanna ease up there?" For the life of him, Barry couldn't even remember what the question was, only had the vague sense that there was a question, maybe. 

"Heh, need to work on yer listenin' skills, Red." Mick removed one hand to tap him in the crotch. "What did this?" 

Barry blinked. Oh! That was it. The pressure on his right nipple subsided a bit but not gone entirely as Mick lazily ran his thumb and forefinger across it. 

"Oh, um, ahhhhh!" A pinch meant to encourage him to hurry along. "In the car, Kyle was tending to Hartley rather, umm, well and he ... he ... " Barry trailed off as Mick kissed him again. 

"Kyle was leanin' over you to get at Hart an' nearly got you off by his knee or leg or sumtin pressure, right?" 

Mick once again revealed how smart he really was. Barry began to nod but paused. "Um, it was, barrel ... " he flushed not knowing how to finish that sentence as he really felt embarrassed about how his body was reacting today and he needed time to process it all. 

"Huh," was all Mick said. Barry knew that was Mick's thinking Huh. 

A few moments passed in silence with Mick's fingers still lightly playing with his nipple. His other hand raised up his shirt and sweater, pulling them off. He tossed them over to the couch. All Barry could do was breathe, wondering what the pyro was thinking. 

"Ok," Mick broke into the silence, capturing Barry's eyes. "I'll have a talk with Kyle later but I's not angry as it's Kyle and I like him. Me and Lenny trust him with you." 

Barry exhaled in relief but it was a short reprieve as Mick gripped his left nipple again. 

"Doesn't excuse you fer being late." 

"Whaaaaaaargh!" Barry pressed harder into the fridge as Mick bit down on his right nipple and held for too many agonising seconds. Pulling back, Mick still gripped the nipple in his teeth, causing Barry to hiss at the stretch. He sighed when Mick released it, but he didn't know if it was a sigh of relief, a sigh at the loss of contact, or a pleasurable sigh. 

"Yer gonna hold out til I tell you to, clear?" Mick put his hand back to that abused nipple. Barry wasn't sure if he nodded or not. He tried to work his voice but only managed a squeak as Mick pinched both nipples simultaneously. 

Barry took a moment to breathe as the pressure receded again and glanced up into those heated eyes. His heart thudded at the intense beauty that had emerged from its hiding place. Mostly cold, hard, nearly dead, most people shy away at those eyes, seeing nothing but a maniacal killer. Nobody ever got to see all the emotions and sparkling beauty as those features had always remained hidden very deep. 

"See sumtin you like?" 

The words brought him back into focus. "Uh, your eyes ... " Barry really didn't know what to say. 

Mick chuckled as he cupped the speedster's face. "Heh, jes don't go blabbing about 'em as I gotta rep to keep up." 

Barry felt warm all over at having seen the very deepest of depths in Mick's eyes. He imagined only Len and Hartley had seen them before. His body temperature rose considerably as Mick devoured his mouth again, not roughly this time, but more the long, most sensual way that seemed to last forever. Much like Kyle had done to Hartley in the car. 

Barry groaned at that memory and desperately felt the need to get out of his jeans. Mick still hadn't let up the deep kiss, both hands back on his nipples, kneading with the occassional pinch. Barry arched his hips forward and Mick pressed into him, keeping him tight against the fridge. Reaching a hand forward, Barry popped the button on his jeans only to have Mick growl into his mouth and caught his wrist, slamming it up above his head, pinching hard on the nipple he was still playing with. 

Barry's mind blanked out at Mick's rough handling of him. The last sane thought he had was that he could easily get away but he was enjoying this way too much. He groaned deeply as he felt Mick transfer some saliva into his mouth, pushing it toward his throat. He swallowed and blanked out, only left with feeling everything. 

He didn't know how long Mick was kissing him. It was long enough that when the pyro pulled back, a sticky string of saliva strung between them. Barry's body convulsed and he arched forward swallowing up that string and captured that delicious mouth again. He really couldn't get enough. His body craved that heated mouth way too much that it had become a sin to be away from it for longer than necessary. Necessary only lasted about two seconds. 

Mick pulled back, chuckling, and avoided his next attack on those lips. Barry growled as his partner ducked down and lathered both nipples, slowly, agonisingly slow. He pressed his head back into the fridge and arched his body, pressing his poor nipples further into that mouth. He felt Mick hum, the vibration causing a new sensation to ripple through the nipple and into his body. He felt the nips, the bites, the rough tongue, the sucks, oh gods he felt it all. 

Barry groaned obscenely loud as his body shuddered again and growled when Mick pulled away. He glared at his partner. 

"Feisty today, Red. I likes that," Mick chuckled softly, seductively. The bastard had the nerve to reach forward to redo his button. "There we go. No getting these pants off." He patted the erection. Barry growled, he wanted the damn pants off! 

"Fuck, Mi ... " he was cut off as Mick devoured him again, both hands roaming his chest roughly, kneading, scraping his fingernails along the skin, squeezing the flesh along his sides, pressing along his ribs and finally going back to his nipples. Mick kept his ass pressed tightly against the fridge preventing any kind of movement. There wasn't even room enough for Barry to attempt taking his pants off. Sure, he could phase out of them but his brain checked out awhile ago. All he knew was that he trusted his partner and he needed his damn jeans off! 

Mick paused, lips still on his but not restricting airflow as he left a tiny opening along the side. Barry felt him standing there casually, breathing into his own mouth. He felt the increased heat with each breath, tickling over his teeth and tongue, pushing air to the back of this throat. Barry breathed it all in, breathed Mick in, feeling yet another new sensation. 

Several long moments later, Mick nudged his lips. Barry knew Mick was going to do something and was checking to see if he was ready. He inhaled Mick's breath a couple more times, exhaling back into the other's mouth. He tensed his back into the fridge, let his arms hang loosely at his sides. One final breath. He nipped the other's lower lip, tugging it lightly. He was ready. 

Mick ran his tongue over his lips and thrusted slowly back in, closing off access to the air, relying only on what's already in their lungs. Barry groaned as Mick pressed his thigh inward and parted his legs further apart. He silently cursed when he couldn't grind himself on that knee as his tormentor kept his body steady against the fridge and his knee lowered, just out of reach. Barry couldn't move. 

He also couldn't feel Mick's hands as they had disappeared from his body. Barry's ears vaguely picked up the sound of something but he didn't know what. Just when he felt he might need to consider breathing again, he felt Mick's fingers back on his nipples again, but they were different. Thumbs rubbed around both nipples, pressing and flicking, causing him to moan. Forefingers began their circuit as well. He felt a light pinch to each nipple. Another pinch but harder. A third pinch caused his eyes to snap open and glaze over as that was the hardest pinch Mick had ever done and the bastard held on. What's worse (better!) is that he felt tingly as if electrical currents were coursing through his nipples. The nipples tightened, the currents increased, saliva poured into his mouth and down his throat. Air was rapidly running out. As a speedster, he had a much better lung capacity than the normal human and can hold out a lot longer. Unfortunately, even speedsters had their limits. 

The tingles spread throughout his body. Barry felt them run up into his skull, behind his eyes, down his chest and his legs, straight down to his toes. He moaned, feeling more saliva pour down his throat, as his erection threatened to tear right through the denim. It tingled the most down there as he was so god damn fucking sensitive! 

His body shuddered. He tried to hold back. He spasmed. The fridge slightly moved as his body jerked around uncontrollably. Last of the air gone, he clung on to consciousness. Just as his vision turned fuzzy, Mick pulled out of his mouth. The pyro trailed a tongue along his lips, his cheek, to his earlobe which he lightly bit. 

Barry heard the most powerful word in history, "Go," and howled as Mick sunk his teeth into his neck, the pressure on his nipples increased with the electrical currents. It took a moment for his body to register the command and he pulsated with release. 

He didn't know how long it was before he felt something against his lips, poking and prodding. He groaned as he opened his eyes, his mouth opening to allow entry. Whatever it was, it was tasty. He chewed and swallowed as his eyes gained focus. He was sitting on the floor, leaned up against the fridge, Mick crouching down in front of him. He started to feel energy flow through his body. Whatever it was, he wanted more. 

Barry opened his mouth again and was rewarded with another energy bar. 

"There ya go. I nipped the recipe from Cisco earlier this week and a box of them bars. Made some new versions. Should taste better. Dese ones I jes gave ya should give you a boost. If dey works well, will make sure to feed y'one after each session." 

Barry did indeed feel much better, his energy charging back to full. He reached out to Mick and felt himself pulled back up to his feet. He swayed a bit as his legs started feeling the energy burst. Within moments he was able to stand on his own again, more steady. 

Turning to Mick, he saw that his eyes had changed into something more ... satisfying? No, not quite. More like victorious. 

"Um," Barry licked his lips. Mick stepped in for a quick kiss. "Wow ... " No other words would form. 

Mick chuckled and lightly pushed him away. "Go get yerself cleaned up. Chili will be ready in about an hour." 

Barry turned toward the bathroom but Mick halted him. "Use the one in Hart's room. Need to check in on him. Also, don't remove yer pants. Dey stay on 'til I'm ready to shove meself into yer ass. Clear?" Mick growled low, sounding like a menancing evil mastermind. 

Barry shuddered at the tone and felt his erection harden again at having to stay nestled amongst his cum-soaked fabric. He could feel the fluids trickling down his legs as that was one of his most intense orgasms ever, possibly the greatest. He also knew that this latest orgasm won't stay in the top slot for long. His body trembled with anticipation as he changed direction and headed to Hartley's room. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Own entrance, Boss?" 

Leonard had to grin at that comment as he disengaged the lock on the side entrance to STAR Labs. Wasn't much of a lock as he had learned the code for this particular keypad a few years ago. He had always wondered if Cisco had left the lock unchanged just for this sole purpose. That being Leonard coming and going as he pleased. He once again pondered what was on the engineer's mind as leaving this door open was clearly an invitation of sorts. 

The door opened right on time: 6:15. 

"Never hurts to have my own entrance in some of Central's _finest_ establishments." He heard Kyle's laughter behind him as they headed for the elevator. Kyle definitely gets it. 

"Does Cisco know?" 

Cisco possibly knows quite a few things but to what, exactly, Kyle was referring to, he hasn't a clue. "Cisco knows I'm here right now and that the goal is Sub Level 3. He may growl and bitch for a few weeks but he was nice enough to grant access." 

"Thought you didn't ask permission?" 

Arriving at the elevator, Leonard pressed the button S3. "I like to remain on good terms with STAR Labs so it doesn't hurt to ask once in awhile. Benefits all parties." 

"Mmmhmm!" 

Yep, Kyle definitely gets all this and appears more than eager to add himself to this game. Leonard couldn't help but be immensely pleased that Kyle came on board without question. The bounty hunter had shown considerable loyalty toward Hartley, taking care of him and now he has extended that loyalty to Barry. On the walk to STAR Labs, Kyle admitted as such, that he "likes" Barry. That's a word that Kyle had never expressed toward anyone before as he never likes anyone. Leonard knew just how deep the loyalty goes in that single word. 

Kyle had never been one for feelings or expressing himself. Hell, he barely even speaks as it is, never wasting words when action and body posture convey his meaning quite clearly. Whenever he did speak, the words are always full, with meaning, and of the utmost importance. When Kyle spoke, Leonard always listened. 

When Kyle told him that he liked Barry, Leonard felt relieved. He always knew he could trust the taller man, but having that admission created another solid bond that would be near impossible to break. It's also good having an extra pair of eyes on Barry. Something is going on, possibly something that happened at work today. He could see a hint of something in Barry's eyes as they arrived. More eyes on him will benefit everyone. 

Stepping out of the elevator, the lights came on automatically. His eyes spotted three large black duffel bags sitting off to the side. A very nice surprise, and unexpected. 

"Target?" 

Leonard thought for a moment while handing a bag to Kyle. He knew what he was hoping to find but not sure if Kyle would know what to look for. He replied in a way that the hunter should be able to understand. "Barry." 

"Oooh! I like this." Kyle's eyes had lit right up at the task and wandered off to start poking around the various rooms. Leonard chuckled and went down the opposite corridor. 

The target was indeed Barry. More accurately, finding items and gadgets that Hartley would be able to figure out and work with, letting his creative skills flow. Leonard had been impressed with what Hart had come up with so far, the dampener field and collar, plus the newest creation of the pulse-infused fabrics that fit over fingers that Mick was going to test out, but Hart hadn't the materials to create much more than that. The least Leonard could do was this supply run for the kid. 

Plus, this task allowed time for Mick to spend with Barry. He hoped his pyro would notice that their speedster seemed a bit off and would gain some insight into what's going on. 

Entering a room that clearly should have been locked, Leonard roamed around in search of useful tech. 

\----------------------------------------------

Entering the room, Barry didn't see Hartley but he noticed the light coming from the en-suite. Within, he found his target on the floor, leaning against the tub, still dressed. 

Barry sighed in sadness. He never liked seeing Hart this way. He hated it back in college, and he hated it now. He crouched down in front of his friend. 

"Hey, shouldn't you be getting cleaned up?" Barry cupped his chin and smiled when the other leaned into his hand. 

"Think you need the cleaning more than I." Hartley sniffed and licked his lips. 

"Blame Mick. Can't seem to keep his hands off me." Barry chuckled as he helped Hartley up. 

"Gee, I cannot possibly fathom why." Hartley had captured a kiss and pressed a hand to Barry's soaken wet crotch. "Honestly, Mick is highly unsanitary. Always making messes that he refuses to clean up." 

"Ah, you saw the puddle by the stove?" Barry had stepped over to the sink when Hartley released him. He heard the other snort at the question. 

"Difficult not to see that. Honestly, no manners whatsoever. What if he had gotten some in the pot? Other people has to eat the contents. Had he not even considered that?" 

Running a wet cloth over his chest and arms, Barry grinned at Hartley's complaining. He always loved listening to his friend as it shows that Hart is feeling well enough to actually verbalise his protests. Plus, the things he complained about were often amusing especially with the tones he used. 

"Had you not considered that maybe everyone here already knows what Mick tastes like?" Barry glanced at Hartley through the mirror, watching as the other had paused a moment before dropping his shirt. 

"That's a very valid point. However, I am uncertain if Kyle had a taste. Not in all the times I've seen them in the same room." 

Barry saw that thinking look as Hartley ran through ideas of how to gather that particular piece of data. For as long as Barry knew Hart, the unique engineer had always enjoyed collecting data, always in the name of "scientific research." He has no idea where his friend kept all the data collected over the years. 

Finishing with his upper body, from what he could reach anyway, Barry sat down on the stool (he had to right it back up from where it had fallen) and tended to his feet. He ignored his pants as Mick was quite adamant about him keeping them on. 

He glanced up once the shower turned on, watching as Hartley stepped in. Barry winced at seeing the worst of the scars plastered all over the back and wondered how he could possibly not vocalise his pain while sitting. It will take some time, but he silently vowed to remove as many of those scars as possible. 

Focusing on his breathing, ignoring the intensity of his erection by the sight before him, Barry thought back to outside the grocery store, at the energies that flowed through him. Energies from the Speed Force but of a different type. He was still seeking those new energies when he felt a tug on the towel he was holding. Refocusing, he felt that surge as he gazed into Hartley's sparkling green eyes ... wait ... more like sparking. 

"Towel?" 

Another tug and Barry blushed, relinquishing the desired item. Holding on to the new energies, he watched as Hartley dried himself and he followed him back out to the bedroom, watching closely as a pair of soft cotton pants covered his ass. Barry didn't comment on the lack of underwear as he was more focused on those scars while the energies built up. 

So focused that he was standing directly behind Hartley before Barry realised he had even moved. Reaching out, he trailed his fingers along the messy backside where the worst of the scars were. He let forth the healing energies, enough to eliminate the pain. He will deal with the scars later. Other areas needed more immediate attention. 

Hartley half-turned as Barry removed his hand, once again an awed expression in his eyes. 

"Seems stronger this time," Barry spoke softly as he gently pushed Hartley onto the bed, sitting himself down on a stool he had pulled over. 

"Hmm," was all Hartley said as he held his arm up for Barry to hold. 

Trailing his fingers over where he had already removed the scars, Barry decided to start from the beginning. The energies felt stronger than earlier and he wanted to try a deeper scan. 

Pressing his fingertips into those of Hart's, they both watched as the speedster's energies flowed between them, a deep green with the yellow electricity sparking within. Hartley felt calm and soothed; Barry felt like energy itself, feeling as if he could tackle everything and come out unscathed. 

Gazing intently, Barry felt himself blink and his vision changed. He was seeing the bones underneath the skin and he quickly located a weak spot in the forefinger that was on the verge of snapping. He focused on that spot, letting his (their?) energies strengthen the bone and continued onward to test and strengthen the rest of the bones in the right hand. 

Inhaling deeply, Barry caught Hartley's scent in his nostrils; bypassing the soaps and cleanliness, he found the scents he was looking for: the pure, natural scent of his friend's body as it's coming down from a painful ordeal, the scent of his body settling, relaxing, feeling relief. Barry smiled, feeling relieved himself. 

Back to the top, Barry peered in at the fingertips, focusing outside of the bones, seeing all the veins and tissues and everything else contained within. He took his time just viewing everything in the hand. If he had to describe it, it was like looking at one of Cisco's 3D holograms with Caitlin's schematics of the human body inserted. Barry knew quite a bit about the human body, how things looked within. Along with his dad being a doctor and having read through a lot of the older man's medical books as a kid, Barry had studied Forensics in college that included courses that dealt with the human body, and has spent quite a bit of time with the Medical Examiner at the CCPD. Plus, the few pre-med electives at college helped quite a bit as well. 

Combine all that knowledge, plus learning quite a bit more from Dr Caitlin Snow during his time as The Flash, and Cisco's love for video games and 3D imagery, Barry is gaining a vast amount of information regarding Hartley's body. He has never viewed another in quite this fashion before and the experience is quite spectacular. Barry felt quite awed by it all. 

"Barry?" 

He blinked, not realising he had paused. He glanced up at his friend. 

"You okay?" 

Glancing back down, viewing the hand again, Barry felt a surge of giddiness flow through him, at the new possibilities laying before him. 

"Yeah, yeah!" Barry grinned at Hartley. "This ... this ... amazing!" He really didn't know what to say, as it would be better to show rather than explain. 

Grasping Hartley's left hand, he placed it over their fingers. He watched as Hartley looked down, green eyes sparking, and heard the sharp inhale of breath. Barry couldn't stop grinning as his friend caught his eyes again. 

"Uh, wow?" came the softly spoken words. 

"I know, it's ... it's ... " Barry trailed off, unable to come up with the words but Hartley knew what he meant. 

"There's a dark spot between the last two fingers where they join." 

Barry blinked. Leave it to Hartley to get right back to work. 

Gazing into the designated area, Barry saw that it was indeed darker than normal. He let the energies flow into the spot slowly, too much too soon may lead to irreversible damage that not even he could fix. Within moments, the affected area lightened and settled into normal colours, looking perfectly healthy. He heard the soft whistle as Hartley was watching just as closely. 

Pulling back out, Barry asked, "How's that feel?" 

Hartley wiggled his fingers, rotated his hand around, clenched a fist and relaxed his hand again. He also roamed a finger lightly over the area where the dark spot laid within. 

"Tender, tingly, but feels more loose. It's like ... hmm," Hartley paused trying to find the words. 

Barry supplied them for him. "It's like you hadn't realised how much pain was there, probably had even forgotten you were in such pain, until it was removed. All the tension eliminated at once, the pain completely gone, and you're left with the reawakened tissues." 

"Yeah, like that," Hartley lifted both hands, rotating them around. "Clearly different, much lighter." 

Barry hummed, capturing the right hand again. "I could just take care of the scars, have them all gone this weekend but ... " 

Hartley shook his head. "Scars are not what bothers me. I don't care how long this will take but I much prefer the slower, deep-scan pace. If we found one dark spot, it's highly probable there are many more. I need them gone so the real healing can begin." 

Barry understood those words completely. In order for Hartley to begin healing mentally and emotionally, they need to get him healed physically and that means eliminating every dark spot, every ounce of pain, and repairing all the internal damage to the muscles, veins, bones, organs, everyplace. 

"My thoughts exactly. Although ... " 

Hartley interrupted him. "I can stay here. With the little you've done so far, I know I won't be able to move around much until everything settles back to normal. I'd rather not be going through this at the other place. Wouldn't be able to get much rest, plus I don't want you around that irksome bunch." 

"Good. That's good!" Barry beamed. "Not sure how long this will take but I do feel better about you being here. Even when I'm at work and out on patrol, you'll be perfectly safe here with Kyle, Len, Mick all watching over you. I really don't want to rush this as I don't want to accidently cause a kidney to explode and I'll tell ya that's not a very pleasant experience I want you to go through and you also have a lot of bones that I want to strengthen up as there's likely a lot of weak spots plus muscles need to be loosened up and patted back into normalcy and who knows how many dark spots there are and ... " 

Barry had his rambling cut off as Hartley leaned in and kiss him. 

"Barry?" 

"Mmmhmm?" Barry's mind momentarily checked out. 

"Shut up and get back to it." 

Barry broke out into laughter, grasping the hand again. "Geezes, bossy today are we?" 

Going back to the fingertips, he gazed in again and roamed the healing energies all throughout, never leaving a spot untouched. Stengthening bones and muscles, untangling a few veins to allow for proper blood flow, eliminating two more dark spots. He soon reached the wrist where he did much the same thing, beginning with the bones and ending with the removal of lingering scars he had missed earlier that day. 

Barry thought about tackling up to the elbow but he decided to leave the forearm for another day. He felt that with this level of a deep-scan and repair, too much can be too taxing on Hartley's body. Instead, Barry shifted over to the left hand and repaired it and the wrist just as delicately as the right. 

Just as he was pulling his gaze back out into the normal realm, Barry felt something fall on his cheek and landed on the back of his hand. Something tiny, black. Another joined it. 

Straightening up, he glanced at Hartley who ... 

"You're holding out on me!" Barry exclaimed, looking around frantically ... there! The bedside table. Barry scrambled up and over Hartley, desperately trying to reach his goal but was soon tackled with his arm outstretched, nowhere near in reach. 

"My stash, not yours." 

Barry groaned at those cold words. "Just ... need ... one!" he whined out. 

Hartley sat on his back preventing movement while he finished that delectable ... damnit, he needed one! 

Who cares if this was cheating, Barry used his powers to topple Hartley onto his side and surged ahead to claim a prize, an Oreo cookie which he jammed into his mouth. He nearly melted. 

"Ohmygodsooooogood!" 

"Cheating asshole," Hartley growled but Barry knew it was not out of anger; it was the tone from the past when they were enjoying life together, in perfect harmony, used with deep feelings that was sacred to them both. Barry hadn't heard that special tone in too long of time. 

"This ... this is The Stash?" Barry asked, licking his fingers clean. 

Hartley had stood up, stretched, and pulled on a thin tank before answering. "Yeah. Mick made them which is why they taste far better than ones found in the stores. He's quite adamant about what goes into my body ... shut up!" 

Barry couldn't help laughing at the chosen words. "S'sorry ... please, continue!" 

Hartley huffed. "Mick is quite adamant in the kitchen in terms of what he cooks. Every ingredient has to be just right and he doesn't care for processed and chemically-infested goods. When I'm over here, he plans out my meals to the tiniest detail, making sure every ounce is beneficial especially in the state my body is in now." 

Barry snagged another cookie, practically inhaling it. "So these Oreos give you what, exactly? Aside from the intense pleasure to the tastebuds?" 

"Get your hand out of my stash!" Hartley grabbed the bowl, denying the speedster a third cookie, setting it down on the opposite side of the room. 

"They give me an energy boost when I need them." Hartley settled back down on the bed. Barry kept quiet as he knew his friend was about to touch on a difficult topic. 

"It's no secret that I've faced too many dark times," Hartley continued. "Growing up, during college. Things had been going good, really good, with you and my initial stint at STAR Labs. Gotham was a bit challenging at times but very good overall. I came back about a year after the Particle Accelerator exploded, a few months after you came out of your coma. My security clearence had never expired so I was able to access STAR Labs computers from Gotham and checked in on a near daily basis. I wasn't able to get back during that time as I was undergoing some intense training and helping Ba...Bruce with an on-going investigation." Hartley paused for a moment and Barry figured he was reflecting on a memory. 

"Anyway," Hartley shook the memory off. "When I got back here to Central, the city was being overrun with Metas. Got attacked by one who had these electrical whips of sorts, but they were more energy than physical. Left some nasty burns and would have been worse if Mick hadn't stumbled upon us. Apparently, he had just gotten out of the Heights that day. He gathered me up and I barely remember seeing Leonard later that day, or even during that week. Dark times again." 

"Was that when ... " Barry asked after a few seconds of silence. 

Hartley nodded. "Yeah, they wanted to stay low as they didn't care too much for the new Metas popping up. Leonard was biding his time, gathering intel. Mick was bored and took to cooking. I ended up being his prime guinea pig for his creations. He ended up finding a combination that helped to dispel the darkness and had decided to combine those ingredients into something that I would find pleasing, something that I could readily eat when I'm feeling unwell." 

Hartley chuckled at a memory. "Nothing bad in those ingredients, nothing illegal, nothing disgusting. Pure, fresh ingredients at just the proper ratio meeting my body's needs. Most people tend to use medication, alcohol, illegal street drugs, to get their high and forget about their pains. Aside for those planned medical treatments after my abduction, nothing of the sort had ever entered my body, not since Christmas break in our final year." 

Barry remembered their college years quite clearly. They had met during second year, Hartley had been a victim of brutality and bullying far too often. End of third year, Hart's roommate took it too far and offered his body to the entire dorm, charging a fee as a pre-exam stress reliever. Hartley was in a very dark state of mind that summer and first half of final year. Barry recalled taking Hartley home with him for Christmas break that year and something had happened that snapped his friend back into the proper frame of mind. Barry still had no idea what happened. 

"As you know, Leonard and Mick do not like any sort of drugs, aside from the necessity of a bottle of Ibuprofen they keep locked up in the main bathroom. Mick finds better ways, through the usage of foods and teas, to help me feel better." 

Barry nods. "Oreo cookies to the rescue, easily obtainable through all hours of the day and night. Man, I really wish I had those during all my dark times growing up. Even I feel more refreshed after the two I just ate, more focused and alert." 

"Two is all you're getting. These were made with my specific bodily needs in mind, not a speedster's. I imagine Mick has already whipped up something for you." 

Barry grinned. "Yeah, energy bars using Cisco's recipe and changing it up to make them taste better. He gave me two before I came in here." 

"Mmmhmm," Hartley had leaned in to embrace Barry, nuzzling into his neck. "Thank you." 

Barry held him close, speaking softly. "You're worth it. So very worth it." 

"And to prove yer worthy, get yer skinny ass to the table. Chili's been ready fer ten minutes." 

Barry blinked as he looked up into Mick's glowering eyes, arms crossed. "Umm," was all he could say, feeling like prey cowering beneath that predatory gaze. 

Hartley extricated himself, not in the least bit concerned by Mick's presence. Barry watched as Mick took a moment to glance at Hartley's wrists as the other slid past him out to the kitchen. 

"Well?" Mick asked, turning back to him. 

Barry pondered the question. Well, what? "Umm ... chili smells good?" 

Mick stepped closer to the bed and cupped the side of his face. "About Hart." 

Lightly sucking on a thumb to gather his thoughts, Barry wasn't sure how to explain to Mick. "The new healing energies are working very well. Still not certain how to properly activate them, they just sort of activate on their own. No idea the limit either. Hands and wrists are much better now but it's going to take a considerable amount of time. We discovered that I can heal not just the scars, but the bones and everything inside as well. That's what was taking so long." 

Mick nodded and pulled Barry up to his feet. 

"Always thought there'd be inner damage. Good yer takin' this seriously." 

Barry blinked at that comment, feeling a bit of resentment as he snapped back his response. "Of course I would take this seriously. I'd do anything for Hart and I don't ever want to do a half-assed job of fixing him up." 

"Easy, Red, din't mean to rile you up." Mick seemed at a loss. 

"I know, I know," Barry fought to calm himself down. "I've known Hartley for years and I also know that I hadn't gotten around to explaining how we know each other, and I will, someday but not right this moment but you gotta know that I'm very much in favour in taking out every single bastard that had ever laid a hand or other body part on Hart over the years and I will do whatever it takes to make him feel whole again and watch over him and ... " 

This time it was Mick that cut off his rambling, kissing him hard, squeezing his ass. Barry melted into the touch, his fury subsiding. 

"Mmm, better." Mick gazed into his eyes, trailing his fingers over the damp lips. "I get it, I really do and grateful yer lookin' out for the kid. Jes know I wanna hear that story. Fer now, time to get a better type of heat inside of you. Chili won't eat itself." 

With that, Mick inserted his fingers into the two belt-loops at the front of Barry's jeans and tugged him out of the bedroom. Barry stumbled along behind him, the scent of Mick's specialty chili brutally attacking his nostrils. His mouth watered and his jeans tightened. He's beginning to understand how cooking this chili is pleasurable for his pyro. So many different smells of ingredients and spices overwhelmed all his senses. He was eager, very eager to taste this chili. 

\----------------------------------------------

Analysing the spoon, Hartley inspected each ingredient upon it, seeing the spices speckled throughout. The various smells tormented his nostrils which he inhaled deeply. Smiling, he deposited the contents into his mouth which left his tastebuds exploding. Lately, he found very little food that he could actually taste. Mick had worked diligently in cooking up dishes that Hart could feel on his tongue. 

Taking another bite, letting the heat seep into him, Hartley reflected back on a few minutes ago. They had figured out a way to repair internal damage and bring life back into dead areas. He could feel things again, and properly, with his hands. If Barry could do _that_ with his hands, the possibilities were endless; he could have full use of his senses again, his tastebuds, all his pleasure spots. 

He shuddered lightly with anticipation at that thought, or maybe it was how Mick had manhandled Barry, shoving him into a chair, and tweaked a nipple which Barry hissed at. Whatever the case, he looked forward to feeling all kinds of things again. 

Chewing thoughtfully, Hartley realised his eyes no longer itched, nor did he feel unwell. Usually a panic attack lasted much longer and the aftermath had him feeling utterly depressed. Maybe it was coming over here, maybe it was Barry's presence, maybe it was the chili, maybe it was Mick pulling off those still-soaked jeans, maybe it was all of the above that is helping. 

Absentmindedly, Hartley released Mick from his restraint when the pyro cursed and approached him. Placing the band on the table, he lightly ran his fingers over it, ideas running through his head of improvements and different versions with a specific speedster in mind. This was a task that greatly challenged his mind, allowing him to become creative once again. The dampener devices and the newest pulse device that Mick requested, was a nice start but he knew he could create a lot more. 

He watched intently as Mick roughly slammed Barry down on his lap. Based on the speedster's mangled protests and the facial expressions, Hartley knew that the pyro penetrated him. Taking mental notes of his friend's wiggling, how the muscles pulsed beneath the skin, his emotions, how the nipples hardened up without being touched, how Mick seems to now ignore Barry while he ate his own bowl of chili. That was when Hartley realised that Mick wasn't thrusting at all; he had seated Barry completely in one go and just left him there. Interesting. 

"Feelin' better?" 

Swallowing another bite, Hartley glanced across the table into those heated eyes. He really couldn't see beneath the table, not unless the ducked down but it was enough to see their chests and how Barry still writhed, despite Mick's stillness. 

"Yes, much better." 

"Hrmmm," Mick still liked to add that R, Hartley mused. He wouldn't admit it but he actually liked how that sounded coming from Mick's lips. Gives an extra special vibration whenever he had Hartley's cock in his mouth. 

"Really, I'm feeling good right now. No complaints." He kept his tone light which the pyro seemed to accept. He wondered if he should elaborate. 

Figuring there was no harm, and a conversation of sorts would be nice for a change while he watched Mick set his empty bowl on the table and attach his fingers to those hardened nipples, Hartley took a moment to collect his thoughts. Despite Mick's ministrations, the pyro kept his gaze upon him. Hartley had always admired how Mick can focus on a conversation while the rest of his body was doing something entirely different. 

"Morning was difficult. Axel was perfecting a new exploding toy which sent Mardon off into a raging fury that resulted in multiple lightning strikes and Digger was cussing up a far worse storm than usual which prompted Dillon to try and out-cuss him. Was a relief when Kyle said we were going grocery shopping." 

"Bad night?" 

Hartley sighed at the memory. "Yes, a rather nasty nightmare early on had kept me awake most of the night. Was bordering between sleep and wakefulness when the blasted noise began." 

Finishing his bowl, Hartley sat back in the chair, contemplating his next words. He heard Barry hiss, saw how his body pulsated, and knew that his friend orgasmed by nipple play alone. Another interesting piece of information which he plans to make good use of. 

"Uncaring about the visit to the grocery store and the list Kyle gave me, I felt collected enough to select the items but not fully well enough. I didn't much care for the other patrons in the store, the way they kept glaring in our direction. I did my best to ignore them but I felt another attack coming on." 

Hartley paused for another moment as he heard Barry curse, noticing that his body had tilted forward slightly and raised a bit higher. Mick's breathing had gotten shallower. 

"When I saw Barry agonising over the peppers, I felt like something kickstarted within me and was compelled to rescue him, all those dark thoughts dissipating. I felt better, more relaxed. Listening to him ramble about life at the CCPD made me remember the good times we had while there, made me want those times again. I was in the midst of those memories when I felt the panic attack start to come on again." 

Another pause to watch how Barry moved and reacted as Mick finished unloading into him. Based on a very particular shudder, Hartley knew Barry had orgasmed again, which he mentally noted and filed away in the area dedicated to the causes of the speedster's release. 

"Barry noticed and he finished up the shopping. Kyle got me calmed down while we waited outside, preventing the attack from taking hold. While he went to get the car, Barry discovered his new healing talent which prompted our being here. We're only in the beginning stages but I can feel the results. Literally." 

Hartley flexed a hand, once again feeling awed by how good it feels. 

"Yer lookin' better, more lighter." Despite his attentions on Barry's neck, Hartley knew that Mick's words for him. 

"Very much so," Hartley agreed. "I was only expecting, and had settled for, the removal of the scars but we tapped into the healing energies deep enough that Barry was able to repair everything, to the point where dead areas were resurrected and I regained full feeling in my hands again. That ... made me hopeful." 

"Heh, we's glad for that. Lenny texted Kyle to make sure youse ended up there when Barry was there. Figured he'd be useful." Mick lifted his hips a few times as he spoke, Hartley noting just how Barry felt each thrust. 

"Useful, indeed. Just like before, Barry is pulling me out and holding on tight. I am grateful that you decided to make chili tonight." Hartley smiled, briefly. Based on Mick's grin, he knew the pyro noticed. 

"Heh, always knew my chili would summon ya," Mick chuckled and grunted as he unleashed a second load. 

Hartley began to wonder how many more loads Mick was going to dump inside but his thoughts were interrupted as the door opened. 

\----------------------------------------------

Listening to Kyle's pleasant whistling a few paces behind him, Leonard felt very satisfied at their successful haul. He had filled both of his bags to the point where the zipper would only half-close, and Kyle had found an additional bag and filled it as well, totalling their haul to four large over-stuffed duffel bags. Quickly scanning through his own pilfered items in his head, Leonard hummed at how several pieces could be put to very good use. He's uncertain as to what Kyle had found but there's plenty of time for that later. 

First order of business was to hand the bags over to Hartley, get him to catalogue everything and start his creativity flowing. 

"Boss?" 

Leonard paused in his steps, still a few minutes away from his place. Turning, he waited for Kyle to close the distance between them, settling the bags down on the ground. The evening was nice, a cool breeze coming off the river, he didn't feel they needed to take the car as the walk was very nice, the distance not far. It allowed for more time to talk. Which he now patiently waited for his friend to collect his thoughts. 

"Problems at work." 

Leonard blinked, having not realised that the Hunter had picked up on that. "Oh?" 

Kyle tilted his head in thought. "While talking his usual way, there was a tiny hitch in his voice when work was discussed. Focused on the light topics but ... " Kyle shook his head. 

Leonard knew about Kyle's uncanny ability to hear unspoken words. "I sensed that as well. He hadn't said anything specific?" 

"Nothing. Although ... " another trailed off sentence. Leonard knew it was never a good idea to rush him. 

"He seemed too focused on my gun." Kyle had tapped the custom piece on his left hip. 

Leonard wasn't expecting that. Aside from his cold gun, Barry had never cared for any firearm. "How so?" 

"He was transfixed, eyes frozen on it, barely breathing. It was like being paralysed in fear." Kyle shrugged. 

Leonard couldn't believe this, yet he knew Kyle always spoke true. He couldn't understand how Barry would suddenly come to fear guns. Despite his preference to not carry one, even though Barry does have a license which he renews every year and adds to the list of new firearms he's trained in, he had never once been scared of any of them. 

"Odd, Barry has never shown fear around any kind of weapon." 

"My thinking," Kyle agreed. "He can escape easily, no reason to fear. Something at work." 

Leonard had to agree with him. Something happened at work that caused these new feelings. He was about to pick his bags up when Kyle spoke again. 

"He seemed to like it." 

What? Leonard had no idea what Kyle meant. "Liked what?" 

"My gun." Kyle hummed in thought while Leonard remained baffled. 

"You'll need to explain that. You just said ... " 

Kyle cut him off, which is something that Kyle never does. "Yes. Was scared but soon aroused. Very much so." 

"Huh," Leonard mulled that over as he followed Kyle. Barry had never shown that kind of interest before and it was something Leonard had planned to never press upon him, knowing full-well how Barry felt about guns. Aside from his cold gun, and a new one he hoped Hartley would make for him, he had never intended to use any sort of weapon on his speedster, nor does he plan to now. However, information is important; finding out Barry's current stance on guns and weaponry in general may prove crucial especially in reaction times when out in the field. 

Upon arriving, Leonard dropped his cargo in the common room, hearing Kyle do the same. His own body temperature rose as he inhaled the scent of chili in the air. He had never let on to Mick that the pyro's chili had the same effect on him as it does the one cooking it. Leonard just hid it better. 

"Best hurry 'fore it gets cold," Mick growled out. 

Discarding his jacket, Leonard hummed as he went to freshen up, pondering to what, exactly, Mick was referring to. Oh yes, he had noticed their speedster unleashing himself onto the floor. Well, more accurately, his jeans that were discarded under the table. He wondered how many loads had struck those jeans today. 

Emerging from the bathroom a few moments later, Leonard noticed that Hartley had disppeared with Kyle and the bags. Approaching the table, he leaned in and kissed Barry deeply. 

"How're things?" he asked while filling a bowl for himself. 

"Good," came Mick's reply. "Kids are gettin' along nicely." 

Leonard grinned at that, knowing full-well what his partner meant. 

Barry spoke up. "I told you already, repeatedly if I might add ... " 

Leonard heard him hiss and curse as Mick pinched his over-sensitive nipples, bucking his hips upward a couple times. 

"Wanna hold him while I get the plug?" 

"Sure," Leonard replied without a single thought. 

Mick gave his hips a final buck, pushing Barry off, and slid off his chair. Leonard accepted the offering, sat down and with Mick's assistance, Barry was impaled fully on the new cock. Leonard hummed appreciatively. 

"How many?" 

Mick tucked himself back into his pants before replying. "Gave 'im two, he dumped three." 

Mick had only gotten a few paces before turning back. "Nother load not long after y'left and Kyle caused another on the way here." 

"Oh?" Leonard wondered if that was related to Kyle's gun. 

Barry sighed as he leaned back into his chest. "It wasn't like that. I just had my mind elsewhere while he was busy with Hart and ... " 

"Mind on what, exactly?" Leonard kept his voice casual as if they were having a normal conversation, nevermind the fact that a naked speester was sitting on his hardening cock. 

Barry twitched and groaned. "Really, it's nothing." 

Leonard hummed as he found a nipple but not pinching, satisfying himself with just a light press with his thumb. It really looked painful in its red hard state. 

Barry cursed. "Fine, fine. The bastard had inadvertantly on purpose grinded his custom piece on my thigh and moved on to my crotch. Can I go die now?" 

Leonard ignored that request as he knew Barry was feeling highly embarrassed. Instead, he chose to focus on his choice of words. 

"Inadvertantly on purpose?" 

Barry turned his head to glare at him, which was greatly amusing. " _That's_ what you took away from that sentence?!" 

"Hmm," Leonard thought for a moment. "Seems to me you enjoyed that unexpected bit of attention so I focused on the part I wasn't entirely clear upon." 

"Honestly, I'm dying here and you're more concerned about my grammar." 

"Mmm," Leonard placed his palm to the underside of Barry's erection, thumbing along the slit which was leaking again. "Seems to me you're very much alive. What, exactly, is the problem?" 

"I ... dunno?" Barry struggled just to get those words out. Leonard waited patiently for him to continue. "You know I don't care to use guns but I've never been scared of 'em. I've no need for them." 

"But?" Leonard set a steady pace in stroking Barry. 

"I dunno. Three times today my body reacted differently toward them and ... " 

"Three?!" Leonard sat straight up at that revelation, causing Barry to wince, arch, and unleash another load to the large puddle on the floor. 

"Damnit, Len, that was too sudden when you jammed my prostate!" Barry growled at him but calmed quickly enough to continue. 

"There's another CSI at work that was helping me out today and offered to make sure I knew how to handle a standard-issue revolver in various situations. He was worried that I could be a liability to the CCPD seeing as I don't carry a gun, even though we are required." 

Leonard was gaining the picture all too vividly as Barry spoke. "Same CSI that was around the drug place?" 

Barry nodded. "Yeah." 

Leonard sighed. "Okay, I get the idea now. Out of good faith to both you and the CCPD, he put you through the motions of holding a gun and even offered some lessons." 

Barry slightly winced which Leonard would have missed if he hadn't been staring intently at him. "Um, yeah." 

Leonard totally gets it and didn't like it one single bit. "You do know ... " 

Barry cut him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I have your number." 

"Good." Leonard didn't press any further, satisfying himself with the knowledge that Barry knows he can contact them anytime. 

Mick appeared with the plug in hand and stuffed it in Barry's mouth. 

"How's it?" 

Leonard grinned at the vague question. "Good, very good. So's the chili." 

Mick chuckled as he rubbed a nipple with the palm of his hand before sitting back down. 

For the next few minutes, the only sounds came from Barry as he breathed while suckling the plug. Leonard listened to those sounds as he finished his bowl. Without warning, he twisted Barry's torso around just enough, leaned forward and latched onto the right nipple with his heated mouth. From this angle, he couldn't see Barry's eyes bulge but he certainly felt the back arch and the tension. A few strokes with his tongue and a bite later, the speedster fell prey to another orgasm. 

The pulsating body was more than enough to bring Leonard over the edge as well. 

"Heh see? Always best when hot," Mick laughed as he stood up, pulling the plug out of Barry's mouth. 

"You always do know what's best when it comes to things that are hot and spicy," Leonard hummed as Mick pulled Barry up, watching as the plug was inserted. 

"Damn right I do," Mick growled amicably before swatting Barry on the ass. "Go check on Hart." 

Leonard watched Barry roll his eyes, heading for Hartley's room. Standing up, he tucked himself back in and helped Mick clear the table. For a few minutes they worked side-by-side in companionable silence as they rinsed and loaded the dishwasher. 

Mick broke the silence once the counter was wiped down. "Good haul?" 

Leonard didn't mind how close the words were, the hot breath on his ear as he leaned back against the counter. "Very good. Definitely items that can be used and knowing Hart, he'll be able to come up with creations that we hadn't even thought of." 

"Mmm," Mick ran his rough tongue along Leonard's smooth skin. He arched his neck to give the pyro better access. 

For the next several minutes, Leonard let Mick have his way with him. He didn't mind; after all, like the chili, he enjoyed this just as much as his life-long friend. 

\----------------------------------------------

Growling at the loss of his jeans, knowing that there was no salvaging them, Barry made a detour into Len's room. Rummaging around, he found a pair of sweatpants he had left behind on a previous visit. Even though they were neatly folded and sitting on the dresser, Barry still noticed the stain and the unmistakable scent of Len as he sniffed. 

Barry growled but realised he couldn't fault Len for marking his territory, even if Barry wasn't wearing them at the time. Still, they were dry which was good enough. Putting on the sweatpants, Barry headed to Hartley's room. 

The door was ajar which he nudged open. The scene before him was one he has not seen in years. Hartley was sitting on the floor surrounded by various gadgets, his laptop next to him as he entered data, completely oblivious to the world. 

Barry watched in awe for a few minutes. Hartley's back was to the door but his movements were perfectly clear in how much in his element he was in. No sign of distress or illness whatsoever; Hartley appeared to be in his own pure-bliss mode. 

Barry moved in close, kneeling behind Hartley, and nuzzled his friend right behind the ear. 

"Mmm, you know what this is?" Hartley held up a spiral-looking thing that was metal of some sort. 

"Hmm, isn't that something for wine bottles?" Barry hazarded a guess, clearly not having a clue. 

"Nah," Hartley reached back and gripped Barry's cock through the pants. "With some adjustments, I can get this fitted perfectly and add in some pulses. Add a clasp to both ends so it'll fit snugly without risk of removal." 

Barry shuddered at the idea of having a spiral vibrator pressed along his erection for who knows how long. Knowing Hartley, he can create long-lasting batteries and will likely have a control switch with various settings. Knowing Hartley, he would never reveal to Barry how to remove the blasted item. Barry felt himself harden at the thought. 

"Thought you might like that," Hartley laughed lightly as he patted his growing erection, then tapped a few notes into the laptop. 

"You are one devious bastard," Barry hissed at him as he ran his hands along the other's arms and captured both hands. Holding them up, he gazed inside to see how the healing was coming along. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, no infection at all, everything looked bright and healthy. Will still be a few days before Barry can allow Hartley to do anything streneous with those delectable hands. 

"Mmm, you make me devious," Hartley responded as he leaned back into Barry. "Remember the double band?" 

Barry's eyes widened as the memory struck him full-force, causing him to orgasm in his sweatpants which were pressed tightly against Hartley's lower back. 

"Heh, seems you do. Got some new ideas in mind for you. Same concept, with a band at the base and one across the lower part of your slit, the rod along the underside attached to both bands." 

"You ... you ... " Barry remembered all too well about those early bands. Back in college, Hartley had the grand idea to experiment during the week before final exams. A different band each day, the final one ended up being a combination of the previous four based on what seemed to work in terms of tightness, size, length, pressure, how the rod was inserted, whether vibrations were added. The final piece ended up being a combination of metal and leather, with the leather part on the underside. 

"I would and I will," Hartley mused while holding up a wide piece of hard leather, very thin. "Something like this, for example, could easily fit along the underside, attached to the double bands. The leather is just durable enough to insert some pulse tech. Once attached, maybe I won't release you until the next day." 

"Oh, I'm sure that'd look mighty fine," Barry growled out as he pushed Hartley off of him. "Can you imagine how insane that would look with my suit on?! That suit is so dang-blasted close-fitting that I had to start wearing a cup a few months ago. A few weeks ago I had to get Cisco to create a stronger cup as I kept cracking the other one. There's no possible way I could hide your double-band in my suit!" 

"Ooh," Hartley had that far-away look in his eyes that were quite devious in nature. "More fitting, more stretch, more like a second-skin, single piece, no separate boots or gloves, material stretched perfectly outlining each finger, no constriction, normal movement ... " 

Barry tried unsuccessfully to tune Hartley out but his pants remained completely focused. While his friend rambled over ideas for the new suit, which, with the utmost relief was to only be worn around here and not meant for out on patrol, Barry focused his own attention on the back of Hartley's neck. 

Running his fingers lightly along the scars, Barry set to work at removing them, letting the energies build up within him. By the time the scars were removed from the back of the neck, the sides and along Hartley's throat up to the jawbone, the new healing energies were pulsing at full-charge, allowing for the deeper scan. 

Ignoring the comment about having the new suit being only phasible (to which his friend meant that the only way to put it on and take it off was by phasing into the suit), Barry put his entire focus into the healing. There were many tight veins in the back of the neck that he wondered how Hartley's neck hadn't snapped. He worked diligently at loosening up those veins, untangling a few, making sure the blood flowed smoothly. He also tended to the muscles and bones, strengthening them and removing more dark spots. 

The slight movements Hartley made as he continued to ramble his thoughts while holding up various pieces, didn't bother Barry at all. Nothing Hartley did or said disrupted his concentration. He may appear to be tuned out but unfortunately, he knew that Hartley knew that he heard every word and typed out notes based on his body's reaction to various pieces and ideas. Barry had a good mind to stuff all that tech down his friend's throat, although he had the feeling that Hartley planned to stuff quite a few in both Barry's mouth and ass. 

He let out an exasperated groan at the thought, as he slid his hands up to inspect the skull. Hartley paused as Barry ran his fingers through his hair which always felt so soft to the touch. Barry missed this, these moments of closeness, holding on to each other as they lazed around the dorm watching television shows and movies all day, and in later years back at his apartment. 

Refocusing, Barry tackled the skull and felt immediately nauseated at how black it looked; definitely going to take longer than the hands for sure. Barry settled in and focused on the more dangerous spots, the areas that threatened veins to explode. For about an hour he worked with a single-minded focus, relieving veins and clearing out the dark spots from the foremost parts of the brain. Admittedly, Barry didn't understand the brain too well nor how it functioned, preferring to leave such delicate matters in the hands of Dr Caitlin Snow. 

Exhausted, Barry pulled out after leaving up a barrier to prevent the dark spots from taking over the newly cleansed areas. Once Caitlin returns, he'll need to get her to take a further look at Hartley once he finished cleansing the other's skull. 

"What did you do?" 

Barry glanced up at the startled words, noticing that Kyle was perched on the edge of the bed, staring intently at him. Was he here the entire time? Barry hadn't noticed Kyle when he first came in but then, he had his entire focus on Hartley, not the rest of the room. 

"Uh," Barry blinked and looked down, seeing that Hartley had fallen back against him again, eyes closed. Crap! He frantically checked over his friend and quickly felt relieved. 

"It's okay, he's okay, we're okay," Barry smiled as he held his friend close. "I must have cleared up the area that was affecting his sleep. He's sleeping. A good sleep. He's fine, very much fine!" 

He held him for a few more minutes before relinquishing his friend over to the Hunter. "He's fine, he'll sleep for a long while, not sure how long but he has so much sleep to catch up on." 

Barry cut off his own rambling as he watched Kyle tuck Hartley in beneath the covers. How he missed that sleeping form. "He may wake up during the night and when he does, I'll have something ready for him to drink that will calm him down. He may feel disoriented, even dizzy, seeing as I was poking around his skull. Tried to be as careful as I could but if he wakes up feeling out of sorts, should only be temporary." 

Kyle nodded, never lifting his eyes from his boy. Barry took that moment to exit the room to ready that drink for Hartley. 

"How is he?" 

Barry smiled tiredly at Len who was lounging on the sofa. "Fine, very fine. He's sleeping." 

Ignoring the question in those pretty blue eyes, Barry prepared the drink, grateful at finding all the right ingredients. Hartley had always found this drink soothing back in college; Barry figured it'd help again now. A few minutes later, he placed the mug on the bedside table. It's a drink that can be either hot or cold. A tea of sorts with vanilla, honey, cinnamon, and a dash of some spice or other that Barry couldn't figure out how to read or pronounce, something from the Oriental section anyway. Barry had only recognised the bottle as being the right one by how it looked and smelled. 

Leaving Kyle to watch over Hartley, Barry clicked the door shut and immediately felt rough hands wrapped around his waist. He leaned back into that heavily scarred chest. 

"He's fine, Hartley's fine, he's gonna be fine," he heard himself ramble in awe, the realisation hitting him full force. He grinned up at Mick. "He really is gonna be fine!" 

"Good, knew y'could help," Mick lightly bit his earlobe, holding on as he led Barry to his bedroom. 

So much in a blissful daze at actually being able to help his long-time friend, Barry allowed himself to be pulled along by Mick, not paying attention to the destination, and he barely registered as Len kissed him with a grip to his soaked crotch. Within moments he fell upon the mattress, drifting off to sleep with a very much heated body pressed above him. He had no recollection of whether he was still wearing his sweatpants or not. 

\----------------------------------------------

Back at the CCPD, a lone CSI whistled as he tagged the gun from earlier that morning, inserting it into the evidence database. On his computer monitor was a still-frame from the special camera he had hacked into, which was located on Barry's computer in the lab upstairs. He chuckled at the swirling yellow-red energies. Apparently, only that special camera was able to pick that up as none of the other cameras caught those energies, he checked. 

Tapping his fingers on the desk, he wondered exactly who made that camera and inserted it in Barry's computer. He also wondered what protocol was about unidentifiable equipment in Barry's Lab. He wondered if he should mention that camera or ... nah. He tossed the thought away. That camera can provide him with so much data that the others would not be able to provide. 

Pulling out his own revolver, he gazed intently at it, at the memory from earlier that day before Barry had to dash off. He licked the muzzle, savouring the memory. Reholstering, he stood up and left, locking up his own lab behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a new pairing in town! Going forth, my story will still primarily focus on Barry's interactions with Len and Mick. Hartley and Kyle are more in the supporting cast role. As seen here, Barry will get to interact with both Hart and Kyle from time to time but not in the same way that Len and Mick dominate him. Hart is to be the tech guy that will use his skills and knowledge of Barry to create customized items that are specifically tailored to our speedster, some will even benefit from Barry's full use of powers. More on that along the way.
> 
> Starting out, for the most part, the version of our characters are pretty general and I leave it up to the reader to determine whether each is from the Comics or Arrowverse. In my "Tales" series (ongoing), I have a specific view of Hartley that is a mix of both while enhanced by a book series. In "Ice Play", I leave Hart's version up to the reader, altho he does seem to favour darker clothing and is moody (for which there's a really good reason for that, as already discovered).
> 
> Kyle Nimbus on the other hand, I do have a very specific version. I have him as a bounty hunter that really favours his guns. He's picky with his assignments as he usually only takes on the ones where the target is notoriously bad and the city would be better off without them. Also, he's loyal to Snart, always taking on his requests without question. Even if Kyle is in the middle of another job, he will drop that job in favour of Snart.
> 
> Kyle has custom pieces for his arsenal. Mostly firearms, a few blades. He's very good at what he does and fetches a high price for his services. He has a single-minded focus until the job is done. He's also very loyal and the best guy to watch your back provided you don't piss him off.
> 
> The specific version of how I view Kyle is basically Victor Zsasz with Meta powers of The Mist. Yeah, let that one sink in! (same guy plays both on Flash and Gotham) In my story, he doesn't Mist up much but I do plan for him to gain some Mist experience, to help control his power. Barry is more than capable of helping Kyle practice.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Again, if there are any questions or something is not quite clear, please ask and I will do my best to clear things up.
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Hartley Rathaway  
> Rich kid with a troubled past, kicked out of the home summer before College. Has known Leonard and Mick for years. Excellent with gadgets and creating new tech, both business and personal.
> 
> Kyle Nimbus  
> A bounty hunter, ranked 2nd in the country, and is very picky with his assignments, taking on only those that interest him. One client he never refuses is Leonard Snart. Current assignment is being bodyguard to Hartley.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many revelations are revealed, plot progresses, a new Meta Beast appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of this chapter could have been inserted into the previous chapter but Heat Play ended up being way longer than intended so I decided to add the key events into this new chapter and added in plot stuff.
> 
> Not too heavy on the kinky stuff this time around as I wanted to focus on a very important conversation (first section) along with giving a bit more insight into Hartley's abduction (second section). There are still some lighter kinky stuff in this chapter, though.
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Flashback to the Abduction time. Adding the Explicit Graphic Violence and Rape/Non-Con Warnings because of this, even though it has happened in the past. Brutality, Rape, Hopelessness, Giving Up, Uncaring. Flashback section is marked so it can easily be skipped.
> 
> The rest of the Chapter is a much safer read.
> 
> February 2019 Update:  
> Fixed up some spelling and grammar issues. Added in Char Notes.

**\-- Mind Play --**   


He awoke with a start, listening. Hearing the telltale signs of a grunt and a thud, Leonard reached for the device on the bedside table and pressed the button. He heard the expected sound of a thud to the outer door followed by a groan. 

Getting up, he notes that it's already 9:55. He wondered if there was any coffee left as he was distracted yesterday; he hadn't thought to ask Barry to pick some up. 

Heading out of the bedroom, Leonard found what he expected to see, a dazed Barry Allen lying on his back after having sped-bumped into the door. He hauled the speedster up and tossed him over to the sofa, deactivating the dampener field as he investigated the stash of coffee packets. 

"You do realise you have the day off? The whole weekend, in fact." Leonard scowled at the packet of decaf he found. Who in their right mind would purchase such a foul thing? 

"Um, yeah, I do now. Not used to having Friday off." Barry had slumped down on the sofa, head resting on the back. He was fully dressed for work. 

"Hmm," Leonard glanced over his shoulder, seeing how low Barry looked. Tossing the lone packet into the trashcan, he put the teapot on the stove to boil water. 

"Something on your mind?" Leonard asked as he settled down in the chair across from his friend. 

Barry was silent for a few moments before responding. "No, yes, maybe? Dunno." 

Leonard waited patiently, never feeling the need to rush one along in speaking their mind. Not unless the situation demanded it, like when they're being shot at or in a deadly situation. Certainly not the case today and they got the whole weekend to talk, if Barry decides to speak up. 

The teapot whistled. Leonard spent the next few minutes preparing two cups of Earl Gray, adding some honey in Barry's mug. Handing the speedster the red mug, he settled back into his own chair with his own blue mug. 

Barry lifted his head long enough to take a couple sips. "Honey is good." 

Leonard hummed as he also sipped his tea. He had never been overly fond of honey in tea but he does appreciate it when Mick uses it in his baking, especially in those delectable honey-cream pastries he adores. 

A few more minutes passed, Barry placed his empty mug on the table and dropped his head on the back of the sofa again, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Leonard continued to wait. 

"Lots of cases this week," Barry spoke finally. "All messy, too much evidence, too much ruined evidence, too much property damage, about a dozen guards killed. I don't like it." 

Barry raised his head and Leonard saw a question lurking in those hazel eyes. "Hmm?" 

"Any chance you can plan a big heist soon? I need something _normal_ for a change." 

Leonard certainly hadn't expected that question. He chuckled as he finished his tea, setting the empty mug on the table. "First time anyone has ever called one of my heists _normal_." 

Barry grinned. "For me, anything done by the Rogues is _normal_. Seriously, though, you've always been neat and tidy, rarely ever leave any evidence behind, hardly any damage at all, guards and staff are usually asleep. I have always enjoyed trying to figure out which Rogue nabbed which item and how they pulled the job." Barry let out a mournful sigh. 

Leonard knew Barry enjoyed their tangles out in the city but he never knew just how much the speedster enjoyed tackling their crime scenes. "Hmm, I should be able to arrange something that you'll enjoy." A barrage of ideas came to mind that he mentally noted to explore further at a later time. 

He was in the midst of recalling an upcoming event showcasing the newest designs from the Luthor Diamond Exchange branch here in Central City when Barry spoke up again. 

"Something at work feels ... different." 

"Oh? How so?" Leonard wondered if Barry was going to elaborate further on that CSI guy. He hadn't expected the next words. 

"Smells funny." 

That is certainly odd. "Shouldn't forensics labs smell a bit _funny_? You do deal with various chemicals, some quite explosive." 

Barry giggled for a moment. "Yeah, Mick would enjoy my Lab. Got some good stuff there." 

Barry paused, gathering his thoughts. "I dunno. Lately it seems, feels, a bit off in my Lab. Been meaning to mention it to Cisco, get him to do a scan but I always forget to do so once I leave the precinct. Nobody else seems to have noticed anything, maybe it's just me. This is actually the first time I was able to think about it outside of the precinct." 

Barry seemed to mull that over for a minute before continuing. "The acoustics are off." 

Leonard blinked, listening, not hearing anything out of the ordinary. 

"In my Lab. I can normally hear everything perfectly, no matter where I'm standing. Lately, though, I can't seem to notice when someone enters my Lab. Well, mostly. I notice Joe easily enough, when I'm not distracted." Leonard noticed the sudden rise of heat in Barry's cheeks, having a pretty good idea what the other meant. 

"I can also hear the Captain coming up as well, he's usually growly and gives off a powerful aura that seems to dare anyone to cross his path." Barry smiled at that comment. Leonard got the understanding that no matter how hard-ass Captain Singh appeared, Barry is quite faithful and loyal to him. 

"Anyway, it's been spooking me. The air and acoustics, not quite right." 

Leonard nodded. "I'm sure with a scan and some readjustments, we can get your Lab feeling normal again." 

"Yeah," Barry sighed. Leonard waited for the real issue to surface. He always found that talking about the lesser issues was a good way to build up to the main issue. Not everyone is comfortable with speaking their mind, especially with difficult topics. 

"Thanks." The word came so quietly that Leonard wasn't sure if he actually heard it or not. 

"For?" he inquired. 

"This." Barry stared blankly up at the ceiling again. 

Leonard felt perplexed, not having any idea what Barry meant. "Barry, are you okay?" 

"Yes, no, maybe?" came the vague response. 

"Mebbe he's too hot. Overdressed." Mick had come out a moment ago and proceeded to divest Barry of his sweater, which was done rather easily. He folded the sweater neatly, setting it on a chair. 

Leonard watched for a moment as Mick pulled the shirt out of the waistband and started plucking at the buttons, being careful not to rip them off. Leonard could tell this was one of Barry's good work shirts, the kind that was pricier than his regular shirts. 

He leaned forward in his chair. "Barry, what's going on?" Leonard felt uneasy, not liking Barry's current state. 

"Nothing, everything, something, too much, not enough, here, there, caffeine, new, this is new, different." Barry raised a flickering hand and looked absently at it before the green energies disappeared and he dropped it again. 

"Hrmm?" Leonard saw the confusion in Mick's eyes as the last button was undone. 

Leonard shook his head, not understanding what's going on. Barry seemed to be in an entirely different frame-of-mind. 

"Barry, you with us?" 

"Yes." A definite response and came very quickly. 

"Are you okay?" Leonard asked again. 

A pause. "Yes, no, maybe?" 

Leonard sighed, feeling more worried. He noticed that when Mick parted the shirt open, Barry hadn't reacted to the calloused hands kneading the muscles along his chest. He knew Mick was concerned and is attempting to ease the tension. 

"Barry, do you know where you are?" Leonard figured he had better ask some easy questions to try and gain a better sense of Barry's current state of mind. He has no idea what caused this as this current state had seemingly came out of nowhere. 

"Here." 

A thought came to mind. "Do you know _when_ you are?" 

"Now." 

"Do you know who you are?" Leonard hoped this wasn't a memory lapse issue. 

"Me." 

He sighed again, exasperated at getting nowhere. "What do you want?" 

"This." 

"You want this?" 

"Yes." 

"What is _this_?" 

"This, here, now, this, all this, all now, all time." 

Leonard rubbed his eyes, calculating his next question. "Barry, why are you here?" 

"Couldn't leave, I'm here, now, currently." 

Something is clearly off that he doesn't have a full understanding of. Leonard figured this has something to do with Barry's powers. Not everything is yet known about the Speed Force and what his full capabilities are. Maybe the awakening of this newest branch of power has scrambled things. 

"Barry, I'm going to ask you a very simple question," a slight spark of interest appeared. "Why?" 

Leonard watched as Barry's entire body sparked his yellow-orange laced with the new green and a touch of purple? That was new. Within moments, the sparks died away and Barry's eyes glazed over. 

"Barry?" no response. Not even Mick shaking his shoulder brought him back. "Barry?!" 

"You're wasting your breath. When he's in that state, nothing exists. He won't register your words or your presence." 

Leonard glanced up to see Hartley had emerged and looking rather pale. "You've seen this happen before?" 

"Yes." Hartley doesn't elaborate as he refilled the teapot, turning the stove on. He fumbled reaching for a mug, barely catching it before it fell. Mick went over, grabbed the mug and pushed Hartley down into a chair. 

Collecting the two empty mugs, Leonard brought them over to the sink and rinsed them out. He settled down in a chair at the table, watching Mick prepare Hartley's drink as the instructions were given. Must be the same one that Barry prepared last night. 

"You okay?" Leonard asked as Hartley took his first sip. 

"Yes, I will be. Expected light-headedness. It will clear up soon." 

"Ah." Leonard didn't quite get it but he figured it had something to do with Barry's ministrations last night. He decided to change the topic back to the previous. 

"Is Barry okay?" 

It was nearly two minutes before Hartley responded. "Yes, he's fine. Nothing to worry about." 

Leonard did his best to not show his frustration. "When have you seen this before?" 

"Hmm," Hartley thought for a moment. "Final year, just after the holidays." 

Leonard remained calm. "Final year?" 

Hartley sighed, clearly annoyed but Leonard hadn't the foggiest idea why. "Yes, final year of college. His mind went into a time-loop back then, like it is now. Honestly, have you not been paying any attention?" 

Leonard blinked, startled at the tone. He knew better than to address it so he remained focused on the new piece of information. "What causes the time-loop?" 

"Imbalance of the Force." 

"Speed Force?" Leonard hadn't heard it called just the Force before. 

"All Force." 

"What?!" Leonard had never thought there'd be more than one Force out there. Wasn't the Speed Force everything? 

"What's with current state?" Mick asked that question, referring to Barry's unresponsive condition. 

"Hmm," Hartley glanced toward the speedster. "Oh, that. You asked him a simple question." 

"Uh," what could Leonard say to that? "How can a question render him nearly comatose?" 

Hartley drank down the last of his drink. "Barry's mind doesn't function like the rest of us. His thoughts ramble faster than mach-8, faster than even his body can move. Majority of the time he can control his thoughts and brain-wave activity. However, when he's feeling out-of-sorts or when he senses something odd, his brain hiccups." 

Not getting this at all, Leonard hazarded a guess. "Are you saying that simple questions are near impossible for him to register?" 

"Yes, but only in this time-loop state." 

"Uh, right," Leonard rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. 

"Okay, clearly I need to spell it out for you. Maybe if you had some real caffeine into you, then you would be able to figure this out for yourself." 

Leonard ignored the tone. Very few people were allowed to use that dangerous tone with him and still live to see another day. "Go on." 

"Due to the Imbalance, Barry's mind entered a time-loop. He's here, there, everywhere, all at the same time. It is impossible to determine exactly what he is seeing or thinking, and trying to get those answers is a waste of time. Did you ask him what's been happening lately?" 

Leonard thought back to the conversation. "Yes. He's been feeling off lately, says things are different at his Lab, didn't quite feel right in terms of scent and sound. Seemed like basic stuff while he figured out how to reveal what's really on his mind." 

"Basic stuff, indeed. I'll see what I can figure out at his Lab," Hartley paused for a moment taking some mental notes. "Okay, so he hadn't gotten to the real issue yet and that was when the time-loop began." 

"He sparked different colours," Mike spoke up. "Green and Purple mixed in." 

"Oh?" Hartley's eyes widened and Leonard thought he caught a very faint flicker of energy. "Interesting. He's only shown the purple once before and the green is still new." 

Leonard really wanted to ask when the purple had appeared before but Hartley didn't seem very indulgent with his answers. 

"While in the time-loop state, you naturally asked him questions that he responded to, gauging his current state of mind. You also asked him a simple question. What was it?" 

"The question was _why?_ " 

Hartley pondered that for a moment. "Not a question that would put him in the current state." 

Mick spoke up. "Before that, Lenny says was gonna ask simple question, paused, asked, Red sparked and became like that." 

"WHAT?!" Hartley took a moment to calm his breathing as he sat back down. 

"What?" Leonard asked. 

"In a time-loop state, you should never ask a question that clearly conflicts with what you said right before. Honestly, I thought you were the smart one here?!" 

Leonard was about to respond but Hartley dashed along in his ire. "On its own, the question _why?_ seems harmless enough. However, if you precede that with _Simple Question_ then you open up a torrential conflicting storm. That's the most complex question in the entire Multiverse and has no true answer." 

"He short-circuited?" Mick inquired. 

"Essentially, yes." 

Okay, Leonard was beginning to understand. Sort of. "What caused the Imbalance?" 

Hartley's features visibly relaxed while he pondered the question. "Not certain. It's probable that the awakening of the healing energies caused the balance to tip. However, hmm ... " 

Leonard waited for Hartley to collect his thoughts. 

"On its own, the new powers shouldn't cause the Imbalance. However, combine that with whatever has been bothering him lately, it may be more than enough to tip him over. We won't know what's sitting heavily on his mind until he tells us." 

Leonard sighed, his patience is beginning to run thin. "How do you know all this?" 

Hartley blinked, clearly at a loss for words. "Um, well, I just do?" 

Okay, fine, he won't press. Definitely not something Hartley wished to discuss. Leonard asked a different question. "How long will he be in this current state?" 

Hartley shrugged. "Who knows? It depends on the power of the question. If it were a question of whether to go with Red or Blue for a project or article of clothing, then certainly a few minutes. With the one you asked, that one was fully loaded and it could take ... " 

"Bubble!" 

All three heads snapped toward Barry. The speedster had bolted upright, sparking all four colours momentarily before they faded away. Wait ... not completely. 

As Barry stood up and came toward them, Leonard saw the normal lightning within Barry's eyes which turned his hazel to yellow with sparks of orange. Leonard hasn't seen this too often but he has learned that Barry is at his most calm in this state, every word spoken is precise and true, no hesitation or doubt. 

Barry paused beside Hartley. Leonard saw the green flicker as Barry roamed his fingers lightly over Hartley's skull, then his hands. 

"No sign of infection, healing nicely. The barrier held back the rest of the darkness." Barry nodded at some unspoken thought and picked up Hartley's empty mug, peering inside it. "Good. You'll get another once I finish your skull. Go and fill the tub, use the bag I left next to the tap. I'll join you in thirty." 

"Sure." Hartley got up and headed for his bedroom. Leonard wasn't sure if Hart knew what was happening or if he was just following an order. Leonard suspected that there was far more communication going on between the two that he and Mick couldn't hear or see. 

Catching Mick's eye, the pyro shrugged, also not quite grasping the situation. 

Barry hummed as he prepared a drink for himself, then settled down in Hartley's chair. Leonard waited a moment as the speedster took a sip, noting the eyes still sparking. 

"Bubble?" Leonard inquired. 

"Yes, bubble!" Barry's eyes shone, as if he came to an enlightened conclusion, solved a difficult puzzle, got a breakthrough in a case. 

"You'll need to explain that." Leonard sat back in his chair, keeping his focus on the speedster, not wanting to miss a single word. When Barry spoke while in his lightning mode, Leonard knew the value of each word, the importance of whatever it is that Barry is about to say. 

He didn't have long to wait. 

"This is a bubble. Right here, right now, this place!" Barry sounded giddy and paused to drain his mug. Setting the mug down, Barry's tone turned more serious but still enlightened. Leonard couldn't find another way to describe it. 

"I'm here because I want to be here, in this bubble, with you, with Mick." 

Leonard blinked, realisation dawning that this entire time, Barry was seeking an answer to his question. He's still not sure what the bubble is about though. 

"Bubble safe," Mick supplied a very likely reason. 

"Exactly!" Barry beamed. "The bubble is not stationary, though. It moves to wherever your essence is. Right now, it's right here, as you're both here and this place is safe." 

Leonard still felt at a loss. "Barry, you're not making much sense. What's going on?" 

"Ah, one sec," Barry closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, Leonard felt a sense of stability. Okay, he really should just stop thinking about all this. 

"You asked me why I'm here. We lightly touched upon that a few weeks ago but didn't delve too deeply into it. Do you remember what you said?" 

Leonard thought back to that first night together. "Yes. I offered you the invitation to come here anytime you needed to, whenever you wanted, no matter the time of day or night." 

"Yes, you did. Why the invite?" 

Leonard wasn't expecting to be asked these questions. As difficult as that particular question is, he already had an answer. 

"I extended the invitation to you because you needed rest. That's the easy answer." Leonard paused for a moment. 

"Selfish reason, we's want you here." Mick supplied the next words. "Too much shit out there, tearing you apart. Won't get that here." 

"It's as Mick says," Leonard continued. "We know the pressure you're under out there, at the CCPD and as The Flash. We want you to be able to come here and relax, forget everything for a bit, recharge." 

Barry nodded. "Exactly. That's why I'm here." 

Leonard waited, knowing that more was coming. 

"It's true. There are too many aspects of myself that I need to engage in on a daily basis, each aspect always vying for the upper hand, conflicting with one another. Barry Allen, Forensic Scientist at the CCPD. Barry Allen, The Flash. Barry Allen, adopted son of a Detective. Barry Allen, son of a doctor. Barry Allen, multiverse traveler. Also an adopted brother, co-worker, best friend, delivery guy, guinea pig, and a whole host of other aspects. There have been way too many times I would be at a crime scene and having to do my job at a normal human pace when I could easily speed through the job and have the culprit behind bars within minutes. Alas, there are steps and procedures to follow." Barry let out an annoyed sigh. Leonard knew that following the law was not always easy. 

"Here, it's different," Barry continued. "There are no demands, no orders, no yelling, no screaming. I don't have multiple people fighting for my attention. You don't expect anything of me, nothing from me. You don't demand me to be a certain way, be a certain aspect of myself. You let me just be me. As is. Nothing more, nothing less. You don't make me feel like that I have to be here. You don't force me to do whatever you want. You don't ask anything of me. Sure, you pop suggestions into my head, ideas, thoughts, but it's ultimately my decision in terms of what I do." 

Leonard smiled inwardly, pleased that Barry is fully understanding his place here. Outwardly, he remained calm and collected. "We won't ever force you to do anything, Barry." 

"I know that, I truly do, and I'm grateful for that," Barry beamed a radiant smile, full of warmth. "When I'm here, it's like Time itself is at a standstill. There's no rush, no pressure. It's easy here, relaxing, comforting. I feel like I can say or do whatever I want without any bad consequences, no judgement, no backlash, no verbal attacks. There have been many times I would feel so frustrated and start to vent but, as good as they are, Cisco and Caitlin just don't really understand and their solution is to take a nap. Iris also doesn't understand and often cuts me off and goes on about something completely unrelated. I even have co-workers who wander off when I'm puzzling over something, desperately hoping I wouldn't ask them questions. It's gotten to the point where if there's something on my mind, I need to keep it to myself or receive the critical looks and annoyance of others. Here, there's none of that." 

Leonard knew how difficult it can be to understand a Meta, especially when it's Barry Allen, but he had absolutely no idea just how absurdly low the support system was. Sure, the others can offer minor things to keep Barry afloat but it seems nobody is capable of digging down to his core. 

Mick spoke into the silence. "Youse speak, we's listen, we fix you up like yer doin' Hart. No plan on orderin' ya about, unless when needed." 

"Exactly," Leonard agreed. "We have no intention of hurting you, in all aspects. When you're here, we look out for you. When out there, we will still look out for you. Whatever you do here, will always be your choice. You can sleep, eat, watch television and movies, browse the bookcase, soak in the tub, whatever you wish. Got something on your mind? We'll never force your thoughts. You speak up when you feel like it. Got questions? Ask. Got requests? Definitely ask. We trust you." 

Barry nodded. "And I trust you guys, more than I ever thought possible. Before, well, I've always trusted you, knew your thoughts about our ... this ... situation. Even all those years ago, when I was still new at the CCPD, I felt something ... different, about you guys. I knew back then that I could trust you. I had never been certain as to why." 

"Now?" Leonard was certain what the answer would be but he wanted Barry to voice it. 

"I know why I can trust you. I can _feel_ why. There's a connection that transcends time and space and I've caught glimpses over the years ... " 

Leonard blinked as Barry rattled on for a few minutes about connections, time, space, something about time travel and the multiverse and he's also quite certain there was some Lion King wisdom involved as well. 

Mick laughed as if he actually understood all that. "Right you are, Red. Whatever happens, we's in this together." 

Barry grinned, looking more relaxed as the lightning faded from his eyes, turning them back to their beautiful hazel. 

"Right, then," Leonard stood up, stretching. Whatever it was he couldn't grasp, he figured he'll catch on eventually. "Need to pick up a few things." 

"Ah!" Barry jumped up. "Want me to dash out? I can be back in a minute." 

"No," Leonard halted Barry as he angled his body towards the door. "Mick and I can go out, catch a breather. Knowing you, you'll get caught up in at least a thousand different things along the way and you need a break from rescuing cats stuck up in trees." 

Barry sighed. "Fine." 

"We got dis, Red. 'Sides, y'got sumtin waitin' for you in the tub. Best go tend to it." Mick caught hold of a buttcheek and squeezed. "Jes remember' to save some of dis fer us later." 

Pulling on his jacket, Leonard heard Barry dash off to tend to Hartley. "You really understood all that?" he asked Mick. 

"Course I did, weren't you listenin'?" Mick pulled on his own jacket as they headed out. 

"Only bits and pieces," Leonard admitted. 

"I'll 'splain it to ya then." 

It was nearly Noon now and Leonard couldn't help but enjoy the walk as Mick spoke. Even though some things still felt confusing, he did fully enjoy listening to the pyro talk. Mick was one of two people he knew (Kyle being the other) that never spoke much except when necessary. Whenever Mick spoke, Leonard always listened. Even if he couldn't quite catch the meaning, the way Mick spoke always warmed his heart; calming, soothing, familiar. 

\----------------------------------------------

"All good?" 

He heard the words before the bedroom door fully shut and inhaled the sweet musky scent. If the question was meant for right this moment, Hartley would have agreed whole-heartedly. However, his mind was confused, he felt worried. 

"I will be," was his only reply, the words spoken softly. 

Before he got halfway to the en-suite, Hartley found himself wrapped up in Kyle's arms. "You will be," his friend nuzzled his ear, a spot that Hart really likes. 

Since the healing session last night, Hartley found the areas surrounding his ears had grown extra sensitive with the renewed skin and the energies still flowing within. He has many fond memories of Barry holding him close like this, pressing into the right side of his neck and behind the ear. Now Kyle is doing the same, reminding Hart that he will always be safe in Kyle's arms. Even though Kyle hasn't said the words, Hartley feels them by scent, sound and touch. He really does feel secure when Kyle holds him like this. 

"Tub is filled," Kyle nipped his earlobe before loosening his arms. 

"Mmm," Hartley turned and pressed his nose into the side of Kyle's neck, inhaling the lingering soapy scent. "Sleep?" 

"Only if this is a good time," Kyle kissed him lightly on the forehead. 

"It is," Hartley confirmed as he stepped out of the embrace. "They're still talking out there and Barry will be checking on me in a bit. Get some sleep." 

"Okay." 

Hartley paused at the bathroom door to gaze fondly at his friend, watching as he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, falling into the depths of sleep instantaneously. Hartley envied the big guy; he could never drop off to sleep that easily, always laying awake for hours before he succumbs to an hour or two of sleep. He couldn't remember when he actually slept the entire night without interruption, aside from last night. 

Well, he did wake up once, halfway through the night and Kyle got him to drink his healing tonic but aside from that, Hartley had the most solid sleep he's ever had in a very long time. 

Stepping into the bathroom, he found the tub already filled, the packet already poured in. Kyle must have just finished filling it right before Hartley walked in as the water was still quite hot. 

Shedding his clothes, leaving them in a rumpled pile on the floor, Hartley lowered himself into the water, wincing as his back and leg muscles protested. His muscles always hurt but he only allows these private moments to display any sort of discomfort. He knows pain quite intimately; doesn't mean he has to like it. 

Settling back, he rested his head on the edge of the tub, letting the warmth flow into his usually chilled body. How he longed for his body to be feeling normal again, he wanted to feel all the good things, craved it. Slowing his breathing, ignoring his pained body, Hartley closed his eyes and let his mind drift. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

**Abduction Memory 1**

Cold water hit his face, the sound of a bucket rattling on the floor. He cracked open a swollen eye only to shut it again as his bruised ribs were kicked. 

"Fuckin' asshole." 

"Why boss want him now?" 

"Fuck if I know." 

He was kicked twice more before he was pulled roughly to his feet. There were little bars on the back of his arm restraints for easier gripping by hands, karabiners, ropes, whatever was on hand at the time. More sturdy than the basic rings. 

That was where two of his captives held him as they dragged his battered body out of his room (cell?) and down the hall to the stairs. After already having been there for more than two months, he wasn't surprised when they released him and he tumbled down the stairs. What's a few more bruises anyway? 

More hands hauled him up and dragged him down to the far side of the building. He really didn't know if this was a house, mansion, warehouse, apartment building or whatever, nor did he care. They often kept his vision impaired and his memory fuzzy. 

He soon found himself hurled into a room, the side of his face hitting the stone floor. He knew there'd be a fresh bruise there in a few hours. 

"About time you showed up." 

He ignored the growl and just laid there. He also ignored the two kicks. It was only when he was flipped over onto his back and a boot was pressed heavily onto his balls that he grunted. 

"Want to tell me why one of my accounts is empty?" 

"How the fuck should I know?!" he spat back. He didn't care about his tone and he knew full well the consequence. 

He was immediately rewarded with a taser right where the boot was. He liked that, very much, as the resulting darkness was comforting. 

When he came to, he was strapped to a chair but his arms were free. He was sitting at the desk with Boss' accounts pulled up on the monitor. He immediately picked out the account that had a zero balance. 

"As you can see, one of these accounts is not like the others." 

Boss' voice was sweet in a rough sounding way on his ear and felt way too damp. The breath was also way too heated on his exposed skin. 

Clicking on the account, all the transactions for the past month appeared but it was immediately clear that two billion and twenty-three cents was withdrawn only eighteen hours ago. It doesn't say who withdrew the cash. 

"Mmm, skin is looking delightful this morning." 

Of course, Boss would think so, as those blasted steel claws caressed each new welt and scar on his chest. Interesting things; forged in steel, they covered Boss' fingers and ended in very fine, sharp points like a bestial claw. 

He held back any bodily reaction as those contraptions pressed into a still burning welt beneath a nipple. He wasn't about to give Boss the satisfaction of a ripple or twitch. 

Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried, he hissed as a claw dug into the welt, tearing it open, causing blood to pour out. He felt two of the claws flicking around inside the wound. 

"Clean them." 

He really didn't want to but those bloodied claws thrust their way into his mouth. 

"As you can tell, this program only tells me the money had been withdrawn and when. It doesn't tell me who. That's why you're here." 

He rolled his eyes as he sucked the claws clean. It's always the same. Boss gets annoyed when one of his accounts looks questionable, he gets his ass hauled in here, he fixes the problem, and Boss "rewards" him. He wondered how he'd be _rewarded_ this time and how soon he can enter his comfort state again. 

Focusing on the screen, he ignored when Boss dragged those claws down his bare torso. He didn't care to think about the bloody trail they always leave behind. 

He pulled up a program and inserted some commands. Within moments, the monitor displayed the feed from a camera at the bank where the transaction took place. His ears quickly picked up on the tearing sounds as those claws ripped down his thighs. He honestly had no idea why they keep outfitting him in new pants each week. 

"Here." He tapped the screen when he reached the required time, zooming in on the figure at the teller window. 

"Kager ... " 

The name was growled out in a dangerously low tone which he knew meant that Kager would find himself dead very, very soon. 

He suddenly found himself torn out of the restraints from the chair, feeling the new rope burns around his waist. He flailed as he was pressed heavily on top of the desk, hearing the mouse and keyboard fall on the floor. 

"Fuckin' asshole. After all I did for the guy." 

He heard the clang of a chain and felt it tug tightly into his armband around the bar. His right arm remained loose and he took that moment to push himself up. He immediately regretted the decision as he remembered, belatedly, how _impactful_ this angle was. 

He felt both sets of claws drag new blood down his back and quickly tore through his pants. He felt the chill of the air on his exposed ass; they really only just gave him a new pair of pants each week, nothing else. 

The chill didn't last long as Boss plowed into his ass, leaving him gasping at the thickness. It didn't matter if his skin tore or if he bled as Boss and his many minions wouldn't think anything of it. Just another normal thing around here. 

What felt like hours (in a place like this, it probably was hours), he felt himself thrown on the floor near the doorway. 

"You have twelve hours to get me back my five billion!" 

Boss always told him to get back more than what was lost. He also wasn't surprised when he was hauled out of the office and tossed into a seemingly empty room, the door locking behind him. He had given up long ago trying to figure out if they even knew that locking him up like this wasn't going to get them their money any faster. He figured they'd thought he'd comply better after a bit of rough treatment. 

Little did they know that this particular room was his favourite, the low throaty growl sounding pleasant to his ears. He remained still, unable to move after the pummeling he received. He let out a quiet sigh as that rough tongue ran over his wounds, cleaning him. 

Hours later he was jolted out of his sleep courtesy of a jolt stick. Similar to a taser, this one was a long rod made of hard leather with buttons along the handle. Different settings meant it could be weaker than a taser, or stronger. He didn't know what setting they used on him, nor did he care. All the settings felt the same in the end. 

He heard cursing and a loud roar, followed by some thuds and the rattling of a chain. One of the men hissed in pain and immediately lashed out on him. He heard, _felt_ , a rib crack. 

Moments later he was tossed back into the office and thrusted back onto the half-broken chair. He wasn't strapped in this time as the men had probably figured he was too traumatised by his weekly visit to their pet. He wasn't about to tell them otherwise. In fact, he was always trying to figure out how he would get them to toss him back into that room. He hadn't figured out a pattern yet as to what causes him to get thrown into that room. 

"Five billion. You have one hour." 

Glancing at the clock, he realised eleven hours had indeed passed. Two men remained behind him as he hacked his way through a dozen different banks around the world. He ignored the constant probing hands as he transferred funds into the Boss' account. 

Fifty-five minutes later, he leaned back satisfied, as he watched Kager's account slowly empty of eight billion dollars and twenty-three cents. Nobody knew that account existed; it was just a stroke of luck he happened to stumble across it. Boss should be happy with the now twelve billion and twenty-three cents in his account. 

"Asshole looking smug." 

He glared at the one who tilted his head upward and immediately felt the lash of a belt across his abdomen. His ribs twitched painfully in protest with several more lashes. 

"Very nice." 

Boss spoke in his ear again and lavished it with his tongue. He didn't know if Boss was referring to the money or the new welts. Possibly both. 

"Kager has been taken care of and you kept my reputation intact. That _loyalty_ certainly deserves a little something, hmm?" 

Boss kissed him as he felt those claws drag along the new welts. It actually felt kind of nice. 

He was jolted out of his strange thought as he was hauled to his feet and Boss spoke again. 

"Test the new equipment. I'm positive he'll like it." 

The two men sniggered as they dragged him behind them, leaving the office and Boss' lustful gaze. He had no idea why but he hadn't wanted to leave that office. He had felt something in that kiss, something sweet as it trickled down his throat. He wanted to taste that again. 

"Taken affect?" 

"Who cares? Just strap 'im." 

"Boss wouldn't like it if he keeled over with the first jolt." 

"Not my problem. Juice 'im." 

The words were fuzzy to his ears as he felt himself strapped to the wooden table. His last thought was of Kishindo before electricity coursed through his body. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

"Breathe!" 

His eyes snapped open at the panic-sounding word. He sat upright only to feel a sharp pain through his left leg. 

"Where?" came the inquiry. 

"Leg," Hartley replied, gritting his teeth. 

"Lay back again, I got it." 

Hartley did as he was told, settling back into the side of the tub. He was having great difficulty not to howl in pain. Instead, he focused on Barry as the other leaned over him, dipping his hands beneath the water to grasp his leg. The water rippled and changed colours as the speedster's energies flowed into him. 

"Fuck," he cursed at another sharp pain, leaning his head back to rest on the tub. His breathing was ragged from the pain and he was feeling dizzy. 

"Feels like something ruptured when you were spasming." Barry pressed lightly on the thigh directly above the hollow of the knee. 

"Spas'in?" Hartley felt his leg jerk, his eyes closing to ride out the newest wave of pain. If he could just focus on the pain, it won't be as bad. 

"Hart?" he heard the concern in the voice that was becoming more distant. 

"M'fine," which he knew wasn't true but it was the most automatic answer he knows. He certainly said them often enough during his captivity. 

He felt his body shudder, another spasm coming on. He braced himself mentally for the onslaught. "Spas ..." was all the warning he could provide. 

Moments later (or was it minutes?), Hartley found himself wrapped up in two large towels and sitting on the floor against the tub. 

"What happened?" he glanced up as Barry handed him a warm mug. 

"You were spasming, like a seizure," Barry sat down next to him, draping an arm across his shoulders. "It's like the majority of your muscles decided to revolt at the same time. Your leg got hurt as it slammed repeatedly against the tub." 

"Hmm," Hartley glanced down at his leg, seeing the bruises. He twitched it, relieved at feeling no pain. 

"Does it still hurt? I haven't taken care of the bruises yet but I got the bones mended and the muscles loosened." Barry lightly ran his fingers along the leg. 

Hartley leaned into Barry's side, restoring his breathing back to normal. "No, doesn't hurt anymore. Thank you." 

"Mmm," was Barry's reply as he held him close. 

He felt his body warm with the speedster's closeness. Those memories, _nightmares_ , always left him chilled. He didn't know how to explain to Barry that his body craved this warmth and how it felt like he was just using the speedster to escape. He knew that wasn't true, _couldn't_ be true, as he cared so much for Barry, but it was the same situation back in College. People did things to him and he escaped into Barry's arms. Just like now. 

Hartley felt his arms tingling as he gasped for air. 

"Easy, I got you," Barry spoke softly. "Savour this moment, right now, as we are." 

Easier said than done, Hartley thought as he struggled to calm himself down. He must have started in on a panic attack. 

"Barry, I gotta tell you something," tell him what? Hartley closed his eyes as he focused on his breathing. 

"Shh, I know. Don't worry about it. We're good, like this, right now." 

"You do?" Hartley turned his head and saw the warm sparks in Barry's eyes. 

Barry kissed him lightly. "Of course, I do. When you're in this state and I'm in my state, I catch your thoughts." 

"How?" Hartley puzzled. Has this happened before? 

Barry giggled as the sparks faded. "Seems our powers are connected, somehow. You have a tendency to project your thoughts when you spark. I can only catch them when I'm also in my Force mode." 

"Huh, interesting," Hartley mused. 

"Just so you know, what you think you're doing is purely a survival instinct. Once the memories become less raw, you will find your true feelings again. It will take time. For now, let yourself succumb to the healing and take as much of my warmth as you need. It's free for the taking, after all. I got a lot of energy stored up." Barry reached a hand out and hauled him up. 

"I know, but ... " 

Barry kissed him. "I know you believe you're doing a horrible thing but you're not. Definitely not. Anything that you need, anything that your body needs, anything that you need to do, come to me. Kyle's also here, Len and Mick. We're here for you. Our goal is to get you feeling normal again and enjoying life. We like having you here." 

Hartley sighed as he leaned into Barry. "Time can be so blasted slow." 

"Time can also move too fast, not allowing us enough time to indulge ourselves at the whims of others." 

"Mmm?" Hartley caught sight of the mischievous sparkle. "Something on your mind?" 

In response, Barry hauled him out to the bedroom, tossing him a pair of clean sweatpants as he pulled on a pair of his own. 

Checking the clock, he figured Kyle had about thirty minutes remaining for his daily sleep. Retrieving a band from the top of his dresser, Hartley followed Barry out into the main common area. 

"Went out for caffeine," Barry answered his unspoken question. 

"Ah," Hartley rummaged in the cupboard for a moment, retrieving an energy bar which he promptly tossed to Barry. He watched for a moment as the speedster flopped down on the sofa and downed the bar in two bites. 

"Y'know," Barry spoke after a few moments of silence. "It gets pretty quiet down here, the only sounds coming from the river and the hum of the refrigerator. It can be quite relaxing, especially after a day of nothing but noise. However, it can also be unsettling if one is not used to the quiet." 

"Hmm," Hartley settled down next to Barry. "I like it. I can actually sleep down here. Even with Mick around, it's still quieter than back at the Base. Quieter than that other place ... " he let his voice trail off as the memories started to spring forth again. 

"Hart? What is it?" Barry had cupped his chin and turned his face toward his. 

Hartley blinked. "Uh, what?" 

"You blanked out for a moment," Barry kneaded his thumb lightly into Hart's cheekbone. 

"Oh," he shrugged his shoulders. "It's ... well ... " he was going to say "nothing" but this was Barry he was talking to. He sighed. 

"It happens sometime, the memories spring up without warning, anything can set them off." 

As he had expected, Barry understood what he was talking about. "That's what happened in the tub." 

Hartley nodded. "Yes." 

"Damn," Barry shook his head. "They must have expected something like that when they installed the new bathroom. Would have done worse damage if it were a normal tub, not very much room in those things." 

"More room to spread out, sprawl, move around. I cannot be inside anything so confining. The main bathroom is a little small for my comfort." 

"That sucks," Barry sympathised. "I'd go crazy in such a small space. The more spacious, the better." 

"Probably why you spend so much time down here," Hartley started feeling better with his friend's warmth seeping into him. 

"How do you figure that?" Barry's eyes sparkled with interest. The normal sparkle with a hint of mischief. 

"Hmm," Hartley pondered for a moment as he shifted on the sofa to face the speedster. "More space here, freedom to move around easily without tripping over everything, much bigger beds, my private bathroom is bigger than your entire apartment. Shall I go on?" 

"My apartment is not _that_ small," Barry felt he had to defend his own private space despite the complete truth in Hartley's words. 

"Oh, come on, sure it is," Hartley scoffed. "When was the last time you actually slept in that tiny bed of yours?" 

"It's not tiny! And it was Wednesday night," Barry paused. "I think. Wait, I may have crashed on the sofa after patrol. Tuesday night then? No, was on the medical bed at the Labs that night. Um ... " 

"My point exactly. You spend more time here, at work and around the City than you do at your own apartment. Why don't you just move here?" 

"Uh," Barry blinked, the idea never having occurred to him before. Hartley watched as he gazed around for a moment. "Only three bedrooms and all are taken?" 

"Sure, three bedrooms with beds that are bigger than that tiny room you call a bathroom. I am quite certain you wouldn't have a problem deciding on where to sleep each night. After all, you managed well enough last night, correct?" 

"Umm ... " 

Hartley delighted in seeing Barry blush, something he always enjoyed doing in the past. Being able to do that again lightens his heart. Feeling more relaxed from his episode, he grasped Barry's wrist and ran his fingers lightly over it. He started to reach for the band in his pocket when Barry jolted. 

"Oh! That reminds me," the eyes lit right up in the way that Hartley knew that his friend had excellent news to share. "I was checking the records for this district and it seems much of it is old abandoned buildings that are owned by the bank. I won't mention that this place was on the list nor will I mention that ownership of this place is currently pending so don't ask me anything because I know nothing especially nothing about surrounding areas and certainly nothing about this district becoming more of a regular patrol area ... " 

Hartley giggled at the rambling knowing full well what Barry is _not_ saying. In response, he slapped the band onto Barry's right wrist, snapping it shut and effectively cutting off the rambling. 

"Uh," Barry looked at the band. An inch in width and thickness, the top half inch in metal, the part resting against the skin done in hard leather, there was a tiny lightning bolt engraved in the top part. He shook his wrist feeling the tiny weight and his eyes shone in curiosity at how it didn't move at all. 

Hartley watched as Barry examined the wrist band and noticed his concern at the lack of a clasp. He reached for the band and rested a thumb on the top and a thumb on the bottom, pressing with a slight twist until the band opened. Hartley promptly closed it again. 

"Two thumbs required," he revealed as Barry ran his fingers over the spots. "The band is currently attuned to four sets of thumb prints, I am certain you can figure out whose. Nobody else will be able to release that band." 

"It feels ... " Barry paused for a moment, searching for the words. "Different, odd, but good. Fits nicely, looks great, but ... something feels off?" 

"Spark." 

Hartley watched as Barry tried to comply with his order. He felt his friend's struggle, the confusion, the momentary fear, followed immediately by a calm realisation. 

"Oooh!" Barry understood, looking quite eager to test the new band out. 

"You feel it?" Hartley inquired as he rested a hand on Barry's chest. 

Barry nodded. "Yeah, powers are still fully intact, I can feel them but can't quite touch them. They're there but just barely out of reach." 

"Good," Hartley stood up and went around to the back of the sofa. "It's an upgrade to the dampener field and collar. Those devices subdued your powers completely, no chance of tapping into them if needed." 

"Yeah, it was like the Speed Force was completely cut off from me. Was a bit disorienting but at the same time it was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. Even though the devices were meant to hinder and lock me down, I felt free." Barry hummed for a moment. "Despite that sense of freedom, there was also that fear that something unexpected might happen. As much as I trust Len and Mick, they can't plan for every possible and impossible contingency. A Meta Beast could easily show up unannounced." 

Hartley felt that shudder knowing that Barry would never forgive himself if his friends had gotten hurt when he was unable to do anything. Replacing the loose floorboard, he stood up again with his prize. 

"Short bursts with the field and collar are fine," Barry went on. "But not for longer sessions. Still," he held up his wrist to gaze upon the new band, "if this band works as intended, and my powers are still accessible, then I wouldn't need to worry as much. How do we test it?" 

In response, Hartley hummed as he pressed the muzzle of the cold gun into the back of Barry's neck. 

"Gaaaaaah!" Barry sparked and continued to spark as Hartley kneaded his neck. The sparks died away as the cold gun was removed. "What the hell?!" 

"Proof that you can still spark," Hartley replied as he examined the wrist band which remained tightly sealed. 

"That's not the normal gun," Barry commented reaching for the cold gun. Hartley let him examine it for a minute. 

"No, that's one of the back-ups that was hidden. Len always keeps his main one with him." 

"Hmm, only two settings, nothing really fancy, a bit smaller," Barry hefted it. "Weighs less. Why the back-up?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Might it be possibly the fact that criminals live here? I know at least seven other hidden spots with weapons, quite likely more that I haven't found yet." 

Retrieving the cold gun, Hartley flicked it on to its lowest setting. He noticed Barry's intense gaze on it and how his body lightly sparked. 

"Oh, right, I suppose that makes sense," Barry agreed as his voice lowered. 

"Hmm," Hartley watched closely as the sparks intensified the closer he moved the cold gun to Barry's body. "You feel that?" The sparks lessened as he pulled the gun further away. 

"Uh," Barry blinked pulling his gaze away from the gun. "It's like a static field but different." 

Hartley let him ponder the new feelings for a few minutes as he stood above Barry, lightly running the muzzle along the arms, always watching how the sparks reacted. He took note of the areas where the sparks appeared calm and the areas where the sparks seemed to dance erratically. The colours were Barry's normal yellow-orange but he noticed a hint of blue mixed in as he ran the muzzle along Barry's bare chest. That was a new colour. 

"It's like being blindfolded," Barry continued. "Where your other senses seem to intensify when one or more are out of commission. My skin feels extra sensitive with the cold gun. Didn't feel much when it was just your hands but the gun is more ... intense." 

Hartley was pleased with Barry's words. "Yes, the more danger there is to your body, the more you will feel. That is part of the intent of the wrist band." 

"Cold gun isn't dangerous though," Barry shook his head and paused a moment. "Well, it IS dangerous but not to me. Well, it IS dangerous to me but in the right hands, in Len's hands, your hands, I don't fear the cold gun. It's more like my body is over-stimulated, full of anticipation. I know what the cold gun can do to me and ... well ... you weren't here a few weeks ago but ... but ... Ahhhhhrgh!" 

Hartley noticed the frozen blue spark as he pressed the muzzle into a nipple, how it remained stationary while the regular energy sparks danced around outside of the area. He watched as Barry's body convulsed then pulled the gun away, the sparks receding. 

"Interesting. You really do enjoy the cold gun." Hartley felt awed at the information as he examined the wrist band. 

Barry's body stuttered and settled. "Gah, whatever gave you that idea?" he panted, catching his breath. 

"Wrist band stayed on," Hartley set the gun on the table and proceeded to examine Barry, receiving a hiss as he fingered the chilled nipple. 

"You were expecting it to pop off?" Barry inhaled sharply as Hartley dipped his hand down past the waistband. 

"Really enjoy the cold gun," Hartley mumbled to himself as he pulled his wet fingers away. Definitely another note to be added to the many ways that causes the speedster's release. 

"Hart?" 

"Mmm?" he was sucking on his fingers, momentarily wondering what Barry could possibly want. 

Barry lightly tapped him on the head. "Get your mind off the billion ways you can torment me with the cold gun and focus back on the wrist band." 

"Oh!" Right, there really was a question. "Uh, what was the question?" 

Barry burst out laughing which made Hartley blush as it was usually Barry that blanked out during these moments. 

When Barry calmed down a few minutes later, he finally repeated the question. "You mentioned that the wrist band didn't pop off. Why?" 

Ah! That was it. "Yes, it's a fail-safe to make sure you're not rendered incapacitated. In extreme situations, or during a moment of panic, sudden startlement, intense fear or revulsion, then the band ... " 

That was as far as the explanation got as Hartley felt his stomach drop and fear lodged in his throat. He blinked as two bullets appeared inches in front of his eyes, completely motionless. 

"Wha ... " he gazed around and saw Barry frozen beside him, staring toward the door. Hartley didn't get a chance to see what Barry was looking at as the speedster suddenly sparked and zipped the both of them into his bedroom. Along the way, Hartley caught sight of Kyle exiting the room with both of his custom pieces raised. 

He felt dizzy, barely registering Barry's presence, not hearing his words at all. Darkness quickly fell upon him. 

\----------------------------------------------

Five minutes early, Kyle snapped his eyes open and bolted out of the bedroom, feeling the gust pass by him. He paid it no mind, only having attention for the intruder. He was half-way across the common area with both guns aimed before the scraggly man readjusted his own aim. 

Kyle stood there unblinking as the other startled at his sudden appearance. 

"Who the blazes are you?" the man demanded, steadying his gun. 

Kyle's way of response was to tighten his fingers on both triggers. 

The man growled. "I don't have time for this. Where is he?" 

"Where's who?" Kyle's eyes remained on the other and adjusted his aim as the intruder started to move. 

"Barry Allen, you dimwit. Send him out here." 

"Not here," Kyle responded. 

The man huffed and hauled a piece of paper out of his pocket and glanced at it. "I'm sure I have the right place. I was told he'd be here. Where is Barry Allen?" 

Kyle didn't flinch or move an inch as the man fired a warning shot, just barely missing his ear. "No clue. My place, not Barry Allen's place." 

"Like hell it is," the man grumbled, stepping closer to Kyle. 

Not knowing who this guy is, Kyle really didn't want to kill him outright. He doesn't like killing when it's not necessary. Sure, he barged right in and shot twice at his friends but they weren't physically harmed. Besides, Kyle wanted to know why this guy is hunting down Barry Allen. 

As the guy attempted to side-step around him, Kyle brought his arm around and jammed the barrel of his right gun just under the other's chin. 

"I don't like you. I suggest you leave." Kyle spoke in his low, steady voice, always calm. 

"Well, we actually have something in common," the man spat at him. "I don't like you either. Wanna get out of my fuckin' way?" 

"Nope." Kyle brought up his other arm and slammed his left gun into the side of the guy's head, leaving him dazed. 

"I got dis," Mick came up behind the guy and landed a punch, then grabbed an arm to haul him out. 

Not wanting to let the asshole out of his sight and still wanting answers, Kyle followed them outside and down to the river. 

Minutes later, he watched as the pyro repeatedly kicked the asshole. It was when the head was pressed face-first into the water that Kyle approached them. He watched curiously as the man struggled then collapsed. Mick hauled him up and tossed him onto drier land. 

"Who are you?" Kyle watched as the guy gasped in air in between bouts of spitting out water. Mick kicked him. 

"Shut it, creep." 

Kyle crouched down and tapped his gun on the guy's forehead. 

"Job?" Kyle delighted in the automatic nod of the head and saw the instant scowl. 

"Who?" Kyle wanted to know who sent this guy. Anyone who sends a hunter after Barry Allen must be inserted into his Not Nice book. He has a lot of names in that book. 

"Dunno," the guy replied after receiving another kick. "Was on the board, I claimed it." 

Kyle nodded at having all the required information. He knew the board in question. He knew Hartley can find that notice even if it were deleted. His friend can find out who the unlucky bastard is. 

"Get lost. See you again, I kill you." 

Kyle stood up and turned away, hearing the splatter as Mick tossed the lowly hunter into the river. He felt good. He always enjoyed finding out information that benefits his boss and those he cares about. Boss appreciates his efforts and always rewards him nicely. 

He whistled happily, his pyro friend right beside him. Life was indeed good. 

\----------------------------------------------

After watching them leave with the intruder, Leonard tossed his jacket on the sofa, mentally taking note of the cold gun sitting on the table, still powered on. He took his time putting the items away and brewed a fresh pot of real coffee. 

Fifteen minutes later, fueled by the caffeine, he calmly picked up the smaller cold gun, noticing it was on its lowest setting and the safety still on. He approached the middle bedroom, entering without bothering to knock. 

As he leaned against the wall, Leonard took in the sight of his two friends on the bed, Barry holding a sleeping Hartley in his arms. Barry was sitting up against the headboard, Hartley draped over him, head on the speedster's chest. Leonard noticed how tense the muscles looked; whatever that bastard had done, had clearly upset Hart. 

He watched them for a few moments, thinking. Inwardly, he felt pleased that Barry got Hartley out of harm's way. He also felt annoyed at them using a cold gun without his presence. Outwardly, he remained calm as usual, as he knew there was an explanation. 

Flicking the safety off but leaving the cold gun at its lowest setting, Leonard approached the right side of the bed where they lay. Barry's breathing indicated he was in between sleep and wakefulness. Watching another moment, he saw a flutter of muscle movement on Hartley's shoulder before it calmed into a relaxed state. He stood transfixed for another moment as a faint green energy spark glided along Hart's skin to tackle another muscle. 

He was awed by this healing display and almost didn't have the heart to interrupt. Alas, duty calls; they can spend the night in a healing trance if they desired. 

Raising the cold gun, Leonard caught a glint of metal on the nightstand. He spared a moment to take in the wrist band, mentally taking note to inspect it further later, then turned his full attention to the task at hand. 

Barry's breathing grew ragged as Leonard lightly pressed the muzzle into the side of his neck and trailed it down to the hollow of his throat then pressed under his chin. Leonard knew his breathing quite intimately and knew exactly when those pretty eyes would snap open a second before they did. 

"Ah, you're awake," Leonard hummed as he raised the gun to the other's cheek. "I came home twenty minutes ago. Want to know what I found?" 

"Uh," Barry blinked in confusion as the cold gun roamed the side of his face and along back to his ear. 

Leonard waited patiently, watching Barry's eyes. He smirked as they lit up with realisation. 

"Oh!" Barry exclaimed as Leonard tapped the side of his head with the cold gun. "There was a guy ... oh gods!" Barry sat up straighter, still holding Hartley tightly. "Is Kyle alright?" 

Leonard saw the panic in those eyes, amazed at how much Barry cared about Kyle in such a short span of time. "He's fine. Kyle and Mick are taking care of that guy. Any idea who he is?" 

Barry shook his head. "No clue. Hart was explaining about the wrist band when he barged right in and fired off two shots. I don't understand how he got in, that door is thick and always locks when shut. He certainly didn't phase through it." 

If anyone would know the true thickness of that door, Barry would as he has phased through it many times already. Leonard supposed he could always give the speedster a key but he knew Barry all too well; the key would become instantly lost in Barry's bedroom and he would never think to use it anyway. Leonard didn't mind as he has told him repeatedly to show up anytime, they would never turn Barry away. 

Still, the intruder got in easily. That bothered him. 

"Kyle didn't kill him so it's likely they'll be back with information." Leonard thought for a moment as he trailed the cold gun down Barry's left arm. "If one guy can get in, more may follow." 

Barry hissed as the cold gun trailed up his ribs. "We can easily reinforce this place, build it up some, increase security. Got the right guy for the job here, after all." Barry nudged his right leg upward as he indicated Hartley, catching the smaller one in the thigh. 

"Hmm," Leonard liked that idea as he pressed the muzzle into the speedster's left nipple, inches from Hartley's nose. The arch in the back seemed to have jolted Hartley awake. 

"Security is easy," Hartley mumbled as he stretched. "Permit will be easy once the non-existent paperwork is not signed." 

"Exactly!" 

Leonard had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. 

"Mmm, get a new foundation, a basement. Build up or outward?" Hartley mused as he shifted slightly when the cold gun got a little too close to his side. 

"I like your bathroom so maybe outward. Got enough land here to build on. Good idea with the foundation, a basement would be nice." 

"Fix up the windows, definitely a new outer door. Maybe a porch area with an extra security door?" 

"Make both doors at least an extra inch in thickness. I can't do more than 4 inches though. Well, I can but ... " 

Leonard pressed the cold gun hard against Barry's crack, just behind his balls, causing the other to spasm. 

"Fuck, Len, what the hell?!" Barry cursed out after a few moments. 

Leonard grinned as he tapped the muzzle against the freshly soaked sweatpants. Hartley had rolled off, giggling. 

"As interesting as it is to listen to you come up with plans to renovate _my home_ , there are more important issues to discuss." 

"Oh!" Barry seemed to grasp the situation that needed to be discussed but Leonard knew not to give him that much credit. "Uh, hmm ... Hart?" Barry glanced at his friend. 

Hartley shrugged. "No idea. What issues, boss?" 

As incredibly smart as these two guys are, it always baffled Leonard how incredibly dense they both can be. 

He tapped the cold gun lightly on Hartley's crotch, expecting some kind of reaction but only received a questioning look. Curious, he took a moment to run the cold gun down both legs but they remained still, not even a twitch. 

"Odd," Leonard puzzled as there was no reaction as well along Hartley's abdomen and ribs. He didn't like that at all. 

"I haven't got any feeling back in those areas yet," Hartley explained. 

"It'll be a long process," Barry added. "But I'm quite confident we'll get him feeling normally again in time. There's already some feeling back in his hands and neck. Taste buds are slowly waking up." 

Leonard sighed. "Good. Bastards ... " 

"Kyle took care of them," Hartley sat up and reached for the cold gun, grasping the muzzle, wincing slightly. "Got more feeling in my hands. As Barry said, it'll be a long process, time consuming, but we figured out a way to get my body functioning normally again." 

Leonard pulled the cold gun away, flicking on the safety and powering the gun off. He sighed, really needing to discuss this and not sure how to begin. Fortunately, Barry's braincell seemed to have kicked in, finally. 

"Oh! We must have accidently left that cold gun out ... " Barry's voice trailed off. 

"Indeed," Leonard glared at him, amazed at how guilty the other looked. 

Hartley caught on quickly. "That was my fault, actually. I was testing the new wrist band and was studying Barry's sparks when in contact with the cold gun." 

Leonard bristled at how calm Hartley appeared as if this was a normal routine thing he did. 

Hartley continued, "I left the safety on, kept it at the lowest setting. Nothing more than trailing the gun along the skin. Barry was fine throughout, no risk to him at all. I had no intention of going any more intense than that to test the main feature of the band. I was going to wait for you to be around before testing further but that guy showing up has proven the wrist band works perfectly." 

"Wait, that was the whole point of the wrist band?" Barry turned toward Hartley. 

"Of course," Hartley confirmed. "As I began to explain earlier, even though your powers are inaccessible, you will be able to tap into them while under immediate threat. The initial plan was for your body to respond negatively toward the cold gun which was then to cause the band to release or make you phase through it. However, I hadn't known about your previous interactions with the cold gun and hadn't anticipated the incredible display of sparks." 

"Time froze when that guy came in," Barry revealed. "It was like I forgot my powers were pushed back. They were resting and sprung into action at the threat. I honestly don't know if the wrist band was released or if I phased through it." 

Barry grabbed the wrist band off the nightstand and fingered it. Hartley retrieved it from him. 

"Still tightly sealed, hadn't been sprung open. You phased through it." Hartley confirmed. He popped it open with the thumb presses and twist, then clasped it shut again. "No damage." 

Leonard closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing his fingers over them. "Guys ... " he began but Hartley cut him off. 

"We're fine, Len, nothing to worry about. Like I said, I was keeping it mild. You can check the security footage. I was in perfect control the whole time. I know Barry's body and every single twitch it makes." 

"That's not the point!" Leonard growled out, finally causing Hartley to flinch back at his tone. "I have only one rule about my cold gun, even if it's one of the back-ups: I must be present at all time when a cold gun is visible, preferably in my own hands. Do you know why?" 

He held up a hand to cut Barry off from responding, keeping his glare on Hartley. 

"Of course I do," Hartley spat back, challenging him. "Cold gun is a dangerous weapon and I fully knew that when I pulled that one out of it's hiding spot. Like I said, I had perfect control and I know Barry's body better than you do, if I might add." 

Leonard struggled to keep calm. If this was anyone else, they'd be frozen by now and dumped in the river. Still, this was Hartley. He cares about Hart a great deal, no matter how arrogant and rude the kid can get. 

"I very much doubt that," he addressed Hartley's claim rather than focusing on his tone. 

"I've studied his body for years," Hartley stood up at the foot of the bed. Leonard turned to face him, startling at the blue flicker in Hart's green eyes. That was something he has never seen before. 

Hartley continued, "I've had plenty of time to study Barry back in College, especially during our final year when we got a dorm room together. He's the one guy that knows me best, better than you even know me. I'm also the one that knows him best, better than anyone, even his own family. Even after College, during those first few years at the precinct, before the Particle Accelerator exploded, we continued. I know every single inch of Barry's body, both inside and out, very intimately. I know every single twitch and what causes each one. I even know how his heart thuds during every situation imaginable and every decibel of his breathing. Barry!" 

Leonard startled at the chilled tone when Hartley barked at the speedster. Barry froze with his hand outstretched toward the bowl on the nightstand. What amazed him even more was how more blue sparks appeared around Hart's body. 

"If you look closely," Hartley continued, "there's a tiny twitch on his right side, between the lowest two ribs." 

Puzzled at how Barry remained frozen, his body twisted around with his right arm still outstretched, Leonard peered at the indicated area. It was a moment before he saw the tiny twitch. 

"Press on it," Hartley ordered. 

Leonard complied, pressing two fingers on the spot. He jerked his hand back as Barry promptly fell on the floor. 

The blue sparks faded away as Hartley retrieved his bowl and moved his stash to the dresser, out of reach of prying hands. 

"Asshole," Barry growled as he stood up and flopped back on the bed again. 

"Appreciative bugger, isn't he?" Hartley smirked. 

Leonard sighed, his head beginning to hurt with too much revelation surrounding these two. Whatever their connection, he had a feeling it had something to do with Barry's Speed Force, or maybe one of the other Forces that Hartley mentioned that morning. 

"Okay, I believe you," Leonard relented as he set the cold gun down on a table. "My rule still stands though. I don't care how much in control you are," he held up a hand to hold off Hart's protest, "Cold gun is still too dangerous. Anything could have happened. What if that guy had come in right when you were using the gun? You could have easily startled and pressed the trigger, or fumbled the gun and accidently hitting the safety to the OFF position. The point is, unexpected interruptions can and have happened. I do appreciate you wanting to test your new equipment on Barry but for safety's sake and my own sanity, make sure one of us is with you for the entire duration." 

Hartley appeared to finally get it as Leonard watched the nod of his head. "Understood." 

He decided to change the topic. "What's with the blue sparks?" 

Hartley blinked at the question. "Oh? Uh, well, umm ... " 

The Meta alert sounded from Barry's cell phone, a bestial roar mixed in, cutting off Hartley's stammering. 

Barry zipped out as Leonard picked up the cell phone, pressing a button, watching as Hartley punched a panel in the wall and a dozen monitors flicked to life. 

"Barry! Where are you ... oh you're here, wait don't forget ... " 

Leonard heard Cisco's voice over the speaker of the cell phone. 

"Got him," Hartley announced as he brought up the display from Barry's FlashCam. He flicked a few switches on the console and Leonard could hear Barry and Cisco. Turning the cell phone off, Leonard sat down in a chair next to Hartley. 

"Tapped in," Hartley mentioned as he directed his gaze to a monitor showing two red dots nearby. 

"Who's tapped in?" came Cisco's reply. "Who is this? Private frequency, y'know!" 

"Trap it, Ramon," Hartley growled. "Beast is ... " 

"Two blocks east of the Labs, near the bridge," Cisco interrupted. 

"On it!" Barry zipped over and the camera feed tilted as the speedster thudded backwards. 

"Kyle, head north," Hartley barked the order. 

Leonard remained quiet as he watched the monitors, wondering when Hartley had installed them. He was awed by all the surveillance equipment and being able to tap into Barry's comm and the ones at STAR Labs. 

He watched as a display appeared from a new camera feed. Based on the fact that he saw Mick appear, he figured Kyle had a cam. 

"Can't get close," Barry announced. Leonard turned back to the speedster's cam, seeing how Barry was zipping around but not getting any closer. 

"Send a bolt," Cisco suggested. 

Leonard watched as the bolt struck some sort of energy shield and bounced back. He winced at Barry's sudden cry, hearing him slam into the ground. 

"Hartley, monitor the comms, I'm going in," Cisco announced. 

"On it," Hartley tapped into Cisco's personal comm. "Kyle and Mick are almost there, coming up from behind." 

Glancing at the monitors on the far right, Leonard viewed the area surrounding his place. Nothing seemed out of place as he scanned the perimeter and down to the river. He could easily join in on the battle with the Meta Beast but he really didn't want to leave Hartley here alone. 

"Ramon, do you honestly believe energy blasts can take out an energy shield?!" Hartley barked into the comms. 

"That's pretty much all I got, asswipe, unless you ... " 

"Can you port through the shield?" Hartley cut him off. 

"Uh ... " 

Through the FlashCam, Leonard watched as Cisco opened a portal and emerged into static. 

"Cool," Cisco awed. 

"Cisco, we lost visual. Are you in the shield?" Hartley glanced at Kyle's cam as he emerged behind the Meta Beast. 

"Yeah, I made it in," came the reply followed by a strangled scream. 

"I can't get a visual," Hartley repeated. "Whatever that energy shield is, it's blocking our cams. Cisco! Can you tell us what you see?" 

"Can't ... breathe ... " 

"Honestly," Hartley grumbled. "Can you see anything that might look like a shielding device?" 

"I'm gonna phase!" 

"NO!" Both Hartley and Leonard barked that order to Barry which pulled the speedster up short, causing him to bounce lightly off the shield. 

The shield flickered. 

"Ramon, do that again." Hartley ordered. 

"Nggggh," came the strangled reply. 

The shield flickered again but Barry was too slow to react. 

"I'm in." 

"Kyle?!" Hartley exclaimed. 

Moments later, the shield flickered and died, revealing a large orangutan. The Beast roared and hurled Cisco toward Kyle but the Hunter merely side-stepped and launched some bullets into its side. Leonard noticed the soft landing the engineer had. 

"I got this," Barry announced as he launched himself at the Beast, promptly getting backhanded away. 

"Seriously?!" Barry complained as he stood back up. 

"Hang back a moment," Hartley told the speedster. "Mick, can you distract him?" 

"What makes y'think it's a him?" the pyro responded as he let loose with his Heat Gun. Leonard had to admit that was a very good question, even if the timing wasn't quite right for this type of conversation. 

"It's not raging in a territorial way. This one is merely showing off its brute strength." They watched as the big ape flinched at some singed fur. 

"Def ... male," Cisco croaked out. "Very, very male. Big." 

"Ah," Mick sniggered, Leonard groaned, Hartley's eyes lit up, Barry sparked with interest, Kyle remained unflinching as he fired off more shots, keeping himself between the Beast and Cisco. 

"Aside from the brute strength, can we actually call this monkey a Meta?" Barry inquired. "He had a shielding device. That's tech, not Meta power." 

"No tech," Cisco spoke more clearly as he scrambled to his feet and gained some distance away from the Beast. "I was kicking at a ... a ... spot that caused the shield to flicker." 

"Confirm," Kyle spoke up. "I launched a Meta Scrambler bullet right below the ... " 

The Meta Beast suddenly roared and jumped, landing on all fours, causing a shockwave. Leonard saw the incoming wave on the surveillance monitors a moment before the building rattled. 

Hartley cursed. "I'll need to add in anti-shockwave to the premises." 

"You guys alright?" Leonard asked as the others climbed back to their feet. 

"Yes," came Kyle's simple reply. 

"I've had enough of this blasted monkey!" Barry growled out. 

"Gaaack, Mick, what the hell?!" came Cisco's response. 

"Blast 'im," Mick ordered. 

Leonard turned his gaze to a different monitor that flickered to life, showing an aerial shot from above. He watched as the pyro hauled Cisco to his feet and pointed the kid at the Beast. Cisco let loose a barrage of energy blasts as Mick coated them with flames. The Beast howled at the fiery attack, stumbling backwards as multiple areas of his fur turned black. 

Hartley tapped the monitor. "STAR Labs satellite." 

A pounding on the outer door startled them. Leonard turned toward the surveillance monitors and saw three ARGUS trucks outside with two more speeding away northward. 

"I got this, you stay here." 

Leonard stood up and went to answer the door, hearing Hart's groan, "Barry, you idiot!" 

Hauling the door open, he found the small, pretty lady at his doorstep. "Lyla." 

"Leonard," she glanced up at him. 

Leonard sighed after a few moments of silence. "I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason to be here but I'm a little busy right now." 

"I'm sure you are," Lyla scowled at him. 

Leonard remained calm. What on earth could the ARGUS Leader be pissy about right now? Before he could comment, Hartley yelled out to them. 

"TAKE COVER!" 

He hauled Lyla inside just as multiple impacts slammed into the ground. The resulting shockwave caused them to lose their balance. Leonard held Lyla close, protectively, as they hit the floor. Wave after wave flowed through the place with more impacts to the outside. 

He felt a singe to his leg a moment before he lost consciousness. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Fully renewed," Barry leaned back, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He watched as Hartley trailed his fingers down the healed leg, green energy flowing into the skin. 

"Will be tender for a few days but no lasting damage," Hartley confirmed. 

Barry stood up and stretched, gazing around the common room. Kyle is cleaning his guns, Mick was tending to the stove, Cisco and a couple of ARGUS agents were inspecting the building for damages, Lyla was rapidly barking orders on her cell phone. 

As for Leonard, well ... Barry glanced down at his partner who was batting Hartley's hands away. One of the mini meteorite impacts had grazed his leg, singeing the skin and muscle, causing the bone to crack. 

"You okay?" Lyla interrupted his thoughts. 

"Yeah," Barry replied. "Just ... close." He shook his head, it really had been a close call. "You?" 

Lyla grimaced but not out of pain. "I'm good." 

They stood in silence for a couple minutes before the ARGUS Leader spoke again. "I initially came here with a warrant based on some incriminating evidence. Not something the CCPD can handle, considering what we all do for a living." 

"Lyla ... " Barry turned toward her, feeling stunned. 

"Barry, I know the claim was falsified. If it was based solely on their past and I didn't have the knowledge I have today, then yes, I'd be hauling their asses in." 

Barry blinked at the words. 

Lyla continued, more softly. "I know how much they mean to you and how you look out for them. They've also been a huge help with the previous two Meta Beasts; that's not something I can throw away. I also know of STAR Labs' interest in buying up property down here." 

Barry winced as Leonard attempted to stand and flushed at Hartley scolding him. 

"The agents with me are all part of the Meta Beast Task Force. I personally hand-selected each one," a throat-clear sounded behind them which made Lyla alter her words, "With Johnny's help we hand-selected each one and can assure you that they would never reveal anything about this place or its occupants." 

Barry hid a grin as John Diggle came forward and wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, glaring at him. 

"One final thing before we clear out," Lyla tapped on her cell phone for a moment. "With the sole purpose of protecting this City, ARGUS is setting up a base down here and will work with STAR Labs at hunting down these Meta Beasts and future threats. I have an appointment with the bank first thing Monday morning to nab up the areas you haven't claimed yet. I may need to battle you for some sections." 

Barry grinned at that. "What's the _unofficial_ reason?" 

"Rehab," Lyla didn't hesitate at her response. "I want to figure out how these Beasts became this way and find a way to either turn them back to their previous state or help them lead a new life. They're not dangerous, Barry. They're scared more than anything." 

Barry understood. "Somehow I doubt the City or the Government would be favourable toward helping the Beasts. This Earth is still too closed-minded toward anything, _anyone_ , different." 

"Exactly," Lyla agreed as she stepped over to Leonard. 

Barry turned toward Diggle whose scowl slowly receded. "Digg?" 

Diggle sighed. "This is too weird, Barry. Your City is too damn weird." 

"No more weird than it raining all the time in Starling," Barry bantered back. 

"Yeah, that's really weird," Diggle rubbed his eyes. "These last few weeks, the rain has only let up a handful of times. Being on the West Coast, it's natural for it to rain but not _this_ much. It's too weird." 

Barry puzzled over that bit of information. "Been weird here, too. Lots of unexplained fires. The few times it rained, the air felt odd. Even my Lab at work has been feeling off." 

"I'll make sure Felicity keeps in touch," Diggle promised as Lyla returned. 

Minutes later, Barry watched as his friends left, the ARGUS trucks disappearing in the distance. Turning back to the common area, he grinned as Leonard coolly watched Hartley replace the cold gun back into its hiding spot, and listened to Mick and Cisco argue over spices. All the while, Kyle remained calm as he finished cleaning his guns and holstered them delicately. 

In the words of John Diggle: This is all too damn weird. 

Barry beamed at feeling such fondness for these _weird_ companions. Whatever happens, he knows he can count on his friends to watch his back. He no longer has to shoulder everything himself. 

\----------------------------------------------

Slamming the cell phone against the wall, the broken pieces falling to the floor, he cursed at the incompetency. He should have held out for the one Hunter that would fulfill his request. Unfortunately, that particular one hasn't been seen in over a year. 

Sure, there were always rumours about sightings but nothing ever concrete. Starling, Gotham, Keystone ... wherever Hunter Nimbus was, he desperately wanted him found so he can finally obtain his proof as to Barry Allen's whereabouts when not at work. 

He put up a new advertisement, seeking the whereabouts of the Legendary Hunter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Abduction scene ended up pretty intense. I initially thought about writing out the entire thing but that would have made this chapter incredibly long. Instead, I have decided to break it up into a few sections. I will make sure the Abduction scenes are marked clearly as they can get quite brutal. There will be more than enough mentions of the abduction throughout the story to gain an idea of what happened without having to actually read those particular sections.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Again, if there's anything that seems confusing or if something doesn't quite sit right, or read right, please feel free to comment.
> 
> Characters:
> 
> John Diggle  
> Bodyguard to Oliver Queen in Star City, is often at the green vigilante's side. Also the husband of ARGUS Leader, Lyla Michaels.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry gains a new partner at work and plans begin for a heist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter than usual, about half the size of Chapter 1, but that's okay. Not all chapters need to be incredibly long, right? heh
> 
> This is a light-hearted chapter to make sure Barry is well looked after at work. It progresses some plot as we gear up for the next chapter. Intensity will return in Chapter 6. With some of the harshess of Chapter 4, I felt we needed a bit of lightness. There will be some rough moments coming up in the next few chapters.
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> None, unless the amount of laundry Barry needs to do warrants a hazardous warning.
> 
> February 2019 Update:  
> Fixed up some spelling and grammar issues. Added in Char Notes.

**\-- Work Play --**   


Applause. 

More accurately, a freakin' standing ovation! 

The door to the CCPD hadn't even fully closed yet when Barry Allen was subjected to this outlandish display. 

"We finally have a winner!" one of the beat officers announced. "Johnston! Come up and get your winnings!" 

The officer named Johnston claimed his prize and began his speech. 

"What a year! Never thought it would ever happen but the proof stands before us, as does the clock above the door. Barry Allen, you earned me ten bucks today by being under five minutes late! I'm buying you caffeine today!" 

Barry couldn't believe there was an office pool about his tardiness. He tried to escape but Johnston caught him. 

"Seriously, Allen, thank you! The Children's Physical Therapy Wing is going to see a real nice $10k donation this week." 

"Ten thousand?!" Barry sputtered. Okay, they have these office pools all the time but none had ever gotten that high before. Still, he's quite happy the Wing is getting such a nice amount. 

Several other officers and detectives came up to congratulate them both and Barry even heard a few comments about how some of their own kids and nephews and nieces had spent some time there recovering from bone and muscle injuries. 

A different officer spoke up. "We have also witnessed a new CCPD record today! Let it be notated that Barry Allen is only three minutes late today!" 

A whiteboard that was holding details about the latest big case was flipped over to reveal various CCPD records. Barry watched as his previous record of 12 minutes was erased and the new time was written in. He also noticed his name down in various other categories: Quickest CSI to process evidence, Quickest CSI to leave a crime scene, Slowest CSI to the coffee pot, CSI most growled at by ... 

"ALLEN!" 

Everyone snapped their heads up and turned to Barry. 

"My office, NOW!" 

Ignoring their Doom and Gloom comments, Barry scurried over to the Captain's office. He didn't need to knock before entering, which was standard protocol, because Captain Singh had remained at the door waiting for him. 

"Rest of you might want to think about doing something work related today?" 

Barry heard a lot of shuffling from behind him and multiple call outs of "Yes, Captain! On it, Captain! Damn blasted coffee pot!" He preceded the Captain inside, the door clicking shut. 

Barry really had no idea what the Captain wanted this time. "Um, I know I'm late but ... " 

Captain Singh interrupted him. "Only by three minutes, Allen, and for you, that's really astonishing. Whatever it was that got you up early this morning, make a habit of it." 

Barry blinked as the memory of that morning flooded in. It was just after 9:00 and he had awoken to the sounds of someone grunting in his ear. A few seconds later and his ass was flooded, soon followed by a plug being jammed in. When he rolled over, Mick tackled his nipples. He vaguely recalled Mick mumbling something about three loads. He also recalled wondering what the hell time did Mick wake up at?! 

That was then followed by Barry's normal Monday Wake-Up Panic routine as he dashed about getting showered and dressed, only to realise that he wasn't at his apartment and he needed to get clean clothes which meant a detour home before coming into the CCPD ... 

Barry cut off the rambling thoughts. If having Mick dump three loads in him before work is enough to make Captain Singh happy, then who was he to complain? 

"Um, yeah, I'll see if I can do a repea ... " 

"Good, that's all I need from you is an effort." Captain Singh glanced up from the folders he was looking through then pointedly turned his chair around. "Might want to fix yourself up." 

"Huh?" Barry hastily looked down at himself and noticed his shirt buttons all crooked and his sweater inside out. He groaned and tapped into his speed to sort himself out, silently cursing Mick for making him too damn hazy. Luckily his pants were on the right way and buttoned, but the zipper was only half-done. 

Exactly one second later, the Captain turned around again and continued speaking, as if there was no interruption. "I called you in here because there were seven crime scenes over the weekend and not everything has been processed yet. Three of them are waiting for you upstairs. These are the matching folders of what we know so far." 

"Seven?!" Barry squeaked out, receiving the folders. "Why wasn't I called in?" 

"I insisted you weren't to be contacted under any circumstances. You were in much need of having the weekend off, and based on your arrival time this morning, I gather it was a good one?" 

"Umm," Barry didn't know what to say. How does one tell their boss, the Captain of the main branch of the Central City Police Department, that they spent the weekend getting fucked in the ass by two of Central City's most wanted criminals? Literally? Oh, and also being the guinea pig for Central City's most maniacal engineer who just happens to have the most dastardly, devious mind in the whole damn multiverse. 

"No need for details, Allen, I can tell it was a good weekend." Wait, did the Captain just smile? 

"Yes, sir," Barry was at a loss for words. 

"Clock's ticking, Allen." 

With that crystal-clear dismissal, Barry scampered out of the office, ignoring the raffle tickets being passed around. As good-hearted the precinct was, he really didn't much care to pay attention to when half the office pools always focused on him. It was downright embarrassing. 

Upon reaching upstairs, Barry groaned at the three boxes worth of evidence waiting for him, all labeled A, B, C to match the corresponding folders the Captain handed him. Glancing at the folders, he realised that he actually was there for B and C on Sunday, late afternoon. 

Flopping down on his chair, Barry brought up his memories surrounding case B. 

\----------------------------------------------

Late Sunday afternoon, closer to six actually, Barry had finished making sure all the occupants at 72 Bell Street had been evacuated. Swatting at a lone flame on his suit, he turned back to the apartment building. The firefighters were dousing the last of the flames in the old 1950s structure. The three-storey building had quickly become a two-storey and a single-storey within the last thirty minutes. A shudder along the ground had rendered the building into a no-storey. 

It was believed the broiler in the basement had exploded due to its age. Barry didn't believe that for a moment. 

He was about to leave when a Mewl sounded, one that he knew quite well. Patches was sitting on the doorstep of the apartment building next door. Figuring on doing his duty to make sure the occupants of this building were okay, he picked up the feline and knocked on Mrs Sanders door. 

The door had already been opened, his knock swinging the door inward. 

Barry recalled that horrifying moment of seeing Mrs Sanders on the floor, gasping for air. Her bedside oxygen tank was empty, the second one had exploded from where it was stashed in the chest beneath the window. 

He had rushed her straight to the hospital but she had gone too long without clean oxygen. The fumes from the building next door destroyed any chance of survival. The explosion and resulting shockwave are likely what caused the second oxygen tank to explode. 

Mrs Sanders was pronounced dead within five minutes of arrival. 

Barry vaguely recalled the granddaughter coming in as he zipped out. To distract himself, he checked in with every resident in the surrounding area to make sure everyone was okay. He replaced seven oxygen tanks, grateful they were only the stored back-ups and the main tanks were all still functional. 

He also scoured the crime scene, finding the damaged broiler which only had a small hole in its side. When everyone had gone, the area roped off, Barry interrupted Mick's cooking to bring the pyro in to look around. He reached the same verdict Barry had; the scene smelled funny, not normal. 

Barry remained out that night on patrol, catching a handful of regular thugs and one boring Meta Human that constantly chattered about nothing. 

A museum on the West Side had been broken into but it was also pretty boring. Some new gang sprayed graffiti on all the paintings in the North Wing but it was the kind that was easily cleaned off, not permanent. No actual damage aside from annoyance. 

It was near 2:00 in the morning when Barry had stumbled into a shower and dropped into a bed. He really hadn't an idea where he was. He was too emotionally drained. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Barry! There you are." 

Barry fumbled the folder he was looking at as his chair was suddenly spun around. Jimmy halted the chair and rested both of his hands on the armrests, grinning down at him. 

"Uh, Jimmy," Barry began but was quickly interrupted as Jimmy leaned in close and ... did Jimmy just sniff him?! 

"Hmm, not sure if I like that new scent. New shampoo? Lotion? Aftershave?" 

"Jimmy!" Barry pushed him away once he realised the other was nuzzling his neck. To his annoyance, Jimmy laughed good-naturedly. "Whatever it is you want, can we discuss it later? Got all this evidence to process today." He indicated the three larger-than-usual boxes and reopened the folder he was holding, turning back to his computer. 

After a few moments of silence, Jimmy spoke again, close to his ear. 

"Ah, dear old Mrs Sanders. Isn't she the one that owns Patches, the half-blind cat? You would know, wouldn't you? You saved that cat from a skunk rather recently, if memory serves me correctly." 

Barry blinked, wondering how Jimmy could possibly know that. "Uh, her granddaughter is in custody of Patches now." 

"Mmm, good. Pretty thing, the granddaughter, wouldn't you agree?" Jimmy had leaned over further, reaching out to the file and flipped a few pages until it landed on an image of the granddaughter. 

"I hear she's still single, never married," Jimmy continued as he rested a hand casually on Barry's arm. "Nearly thirty. Wonder if she has a boyfriend, hmm?" 

Barry's breath hitched as Jimmy kneaded the back of his wrist. Damnit, what the hell is wrong with Jimmy? Even worse, what the hell is wrong with _him_ for allowing this to happen? His head began to feel fuzzy. 

"Jimmy," Barry breathed out but couldn't seem to find the words he needed to say. 

"Shh, easy there. I know how attached you are to Patches so this must have been a difficult case to see yesterday." 

What? No, that's not it. Barry realised that Jimmy was misunderstanding him, again! He attempted to stand up but Jimmy held him down by the shoulder. 

"No rush, Barry, we got all day to handle these cases. It's why I'm up here after all. We'll get through them quicker than you would on your own. Plus, like I said, Mrs Sanders' case must be a difficult one for you so I want to help you out on this one." 

"Nice of you to offer but from what I understand, there is a sizable backlog down in your own lab to process today, which, if my memory of protocol serves correctly, you should be working on rather than keeping other agents away from their own duties?" 

Barry heard him enter his Lab before he heard the words, which made him wonder again at how Jimmy can move so silently. His head cleared instantly soon as Jimmy straightened up and spun around. 

"Who the blazes are you? Don't you know this is a restricted area?" Jimmy growled out. 

"Yes, do you?" Hartley snapped back, arms crossed as he glared at the CSI. 

Barry hid a grin as a delicious aroma tackled his nostrils. Glancing up at the clock, he noticed it was 11:30. He focused back on the pair as Jimmy stepped toward Hartley. 

"I'm CSI, I work here." Jimmy was a good head taller than Hartley but that didn't deter the other at all. 

"Good for you," was all Hartley said as he stepped around Jimmy and set his work bag down beside Barry's chair. Whatever was in that bag, Barry wanted it. 

Jimmy growled as he reached toward Hartley, gripping his shoulder and spun him around. Barry winced as he saw where the fingers pierced down just a tad above the shoulder. 

"Problem?" Hartley sounded calm, not appearing to be in any pain whatsoever. 

Barry stood up, feeling angry, stepping over to his co-worker. "Jimmy!" was all he could say as he suddenly felt light-headed again and stumbled. Hartley caught him before he fell. 

"Might want to remove your hand from my shoulder," Hartley spoke dangerously low, a tone Barry was all too familiar with. 

"Actually," Jimmy grinned humourlessly as he gripped tighter, "I do believe it's in my rights to remove trespassers from the premises. Even better, arrest dangerous criminals, hmm?" 

As Barry fell dizzily back into his chair, he watched as Jimmy attempted to pull Hartley away. 

"JIMMY! My office, NOW!" 

All three heads snapped toward the door to see Captain Singh standing there. 

"In a minute, Captain," Jimmy tugged again but Hartley refused to move. "Just need to ... " 

"Unhand him, Jimmy," the Captain growled, stepping further into the Lab. 

"But, sir," Jimmy sounded bewildered. "This guy was harassing Barry and ... " 

Captain Singh sighed and handed Hartley a brown folder. "Jimmy, this is Hartley Rathaway. He's Barry's new partner and has every right to be here." 

Barry was confused ... new partner? His head cleared again as Jimmy slowly released his grip from Hartley and headed to the door. 

"I'll be down in a minute. Make sure you're in my office when I get there," the Captain didn't bother watching Jimmy leave, preferring to glare at Barry. 

"Uh, Captain?" Barry spoke up soon as Jimmy headed down the stairs. 

Singh exhaled and relaxed for a moment. "Some days I don't know what that guy is thinking," he spoke quietly. "Are you okay?" he asked Hartley. 

Hartley rotated his bruising shoulder and shrugged. "No harm done. All your CSIs that lovely?" 

To Barry's amazement, the Captain laughed. "Allen here seems to be the exception around here, but you already knew that." 

"Always the exception to every rule, including gravity," Hartley agreed amicably. 

Barry rolled his eyes at their friendly banter. Inwardly, he felt pleased at being witness to a rare moment of the Captain's good mood. 

"That one is new," Hartley commented. 

"Yes," Singh confirmed. "Jimmy began shortly after the Particle Accelerator exploded. You were in Gotham, Barry was in that coma. Came from Starling with an excellent record. Timing was perfect as the crime rate jumped considerably once all them Metas started popping up. Still," he sighed. "Jimmy had always been a good kid but sometimes he can get a bit obsessive, especially where friends and co-workers are concerned." 

Hartley nodded. "I can understand that. For the record, what Jimmy said ... " 

Singh cut him off. "Ignore what Jimmy said. I know you weren't harassing Allen. I know all about you two," Barry's cheeks did NOT heat up at that comment nor when the Captain glared at him again, "and I think it would be in all our best interests if I leave you to work those case files while I make sure Jimmy gets to his files. Clear?" 

"Yes, sir," Hartley replied. 

Barry could only nod as the Captain turned and exited the Lab. 

After a moment, his stomach broke the silence and his attention was brought back to Hartley's bag. Unzipping the large bag, Barry hauled out a container that was still warm to the touch. Popping the lid, he inhaled the heated aroma of chili. Mick had made another batch last night which he missed out on as Flash duties got in the way. 

"Looks like I'm an assistant CSI," Hartley spoke up when Barry was half-way through the container, the new lanyards dangling before him. 

Setting the dish down, Barry grabbed the lanyards, looking over the credentials while Hartley examined the rest of the folder contents. "Since when?" 

"Hmm," Hartley held up a sheet of paper. "Since this morning, 8:00. Apparently, I overslept." 

Barry laughed, feeling much better. "Don't tell the others or they'll put you up on the Record Board!" 

"I am already on the board," Hartley admitted. 

"Seriously?!" Barry asked incredulously. "But ... but ... you just got here!" 

"I hold the record for Most Vacation Days Taken. I am uncertain as to whether the precinct was aware of my studies in Gotham for a year, outside of the Captain, of course." 

Barry shook his head in amazement. "I wonder if they even knew you were only a liaison with STAR Labs back then." 

"Hardly," Hartley snorted. "I seem to recall spending more time here after graduation than I ever did at the Labs. Always something coming up that required my technological skills." 

"Yeah, like computer upgrades, fixing the printers, the copiers, installing security cameras, setting up a network ... " 

"Mmm," Hartley interrupted him as he suddenly leaned down and captured his lips. "You do know that chili was mine?" 

Barry breathed him in not caring where they were. He felt Hart lick around his mouth, probably catching some lingering chili. He blinked hazily, the good kind of hazy, as Hartley straightened back up. 

"We should probably get some work done," Hartley announced, picking up folder C, the other case that Barry had attended last night while on Flash duty. 

\----------------------------------------------

Mick grunted as Leonard finished the basic outline of the plan. It had been awhile since the two of them engaged in an actual heist. He hadn't minded that, enjoying the downtime and engaging in new activities that got the adrenaline pumping rather nicely. However, this particular heist came at the request of their speedster. He couldn't _not_ feel eager for this. 

"End of next month?" 

Leonard folded up the paper with the rough outline on it and pocketed it. "Yes, that's when they're showcasing the new designs for the Fall collection. There's a particular piece that's of great interest." 

"Hrmm," Mick thought for a moment. "Keeping it secret?" 

Leonard grinned. "Of course. He enjoys the hunt. Let him have his fun." 

Mick laughed heartily. He so enjoys making their Flash happy. He also enjoyed making his partner happy. 

He released Len from his heated kiss when Kyle spoke up. He had forgotten the Hunter was sitting there this whole time as Kyle hadn't spoken a word until now. For that matter, Mick wasn't sure if he even heard him breathing. 

"Hart has job." 

"Mmm, what?" Leonard turned his head toward Kyle and retrieved the cell phone the other held out to him. 

Mick heard the hum of curiosity. "What?" 

Leonard handed the cell phone back to Kyle. "Hart has a job." 

"WHAT?!" Mick exclaimed, not believing it for a second. 

"Seems the Captain tagged Hart as an Assistant CSI." Leonard grinned as he settled back on the sofa. 

Mick growled. "We send him off to fix up Red's Lab and he gets himself nailed into a job?!" 

"It's good." Kyle spoke up. 

"How the hell can dis be good? He's jes barely able to roam around outside again." 

"Lots of protection and he can watch Barry. Something bugs him there." Kyle spoke softly as if puzzling over something. 

Leonard agreed. "Having Hartley around the CCPD is a good thing. Plenty of protection there, lots of officers and detectives, Barry and Joe can keep an eye on him. He's in no danger there." 

Mick huffed. "At least 'til Red explodes his Lab again." 

"No more dangerous than hanging around you all the time," Leonard bantered. "Also, this gives him more time to figure out the weirdness of the Lab. Better chance to install his own equipment, see how Barry interacts with co-workers, keep an eye on him. He mentioned another CSI that he wasn't too sure about. Any information Hartley can provide us will be most helpful." 

"Hrmm," was all Mick said as he tossed the information around in his head. He nodded as it all clicked into place. "Makes sense. Kids get along well, work should be fine also." 

"Yes," Kyle agreed as he stood up. 

"Daily sleep?" Leonard asked the hunter. 

Kyle tilted his head in thought and shook his head. "Monthly." 

"Go ahead, we'll be hanging around here today," Leonard told him. 

Mick watched as the hunter nodded and wandered off to the bedroom he shared with Hartley. He knew Kyle would be asleep until sometime tomorrow. He turned back to Leonard. 

"He up to it?" 

Leonard nodded. "I believe so. Barry finished cleansing the skull on the weekend along with any lingering traces along the neck and shoulders. Hart seemed more energised than usual this morning, not quite so moody. He didn't look his usual pale self either, his eyes appeared softer. However they are doing it, it's working." 

"Hrmm," Mick liked that information. "Lookin' forward to when the kid is fully functional again." 

"You and me both," Leonard laughed lightly as Mick moved over to the sofa to straddle him. 

"Best make sure yer ready fer when dat time comes," Mick told his partner as he divested the other of both sweater and undershirt. 

"I'm always ready," Leonard replied as he lifted his hips, letting the pyro pull the pants off. 

"Sure you are," Mick patted the bulge contained within the boxers. "Always good to get a second opinion." 

He grinned down at his partner for a moment before he thrusted his tongue into that waiting mouth. They have the whole day to themselves now, not that it really mattered. Still, it's nice to have these quiet moments to themselves. 

\----------------------------------------------

Early that afternoon, while sipping on the jumbo size cappuccino that Johnston had delivered moments ago, Barry heard Joe's footsteps on the stairs. 

"Hartley!" Joe was positively beaming as he entered the Lab. 

Hartley, who had just pulled the last of the hidden cameras off the wall in the corner, had quickly found himself wrapped up in a bear hug. 

"When I heard the Captain claiming his winnings for the latest office pool, I couldn't believe you were back and had to come see for myself." Joe pulled away and studied him with a critical eye. "Dinner Sunday 6:00. That's an order." 

Barry giggled. He had always enjoyed Joe's tone when he barks out orders to his kids, not that he would ever admit it. 

"Something funny?" Joe barked out at him. 

"Oh, uh, no, sir," Barry hastily turned away to study whatever it was that was on the blank piece of paper sitting on his desk. 

"WEST!" 

"We'll have to catch up later. Singh doesn't like to be kept waiting," Joe sighed turning toward the door. "Really good to have you back, Hart. I mean that." 

"Joe is still Joe," Hartley commented when the Detective hurried down the stairs. 

"Yeah," Barry agreed, turning back around. "Hope you didn't have other plans Sunday." 

"Hardly," Hartley snorted. "Not that it matters. When Joe gives an order, everything else must be placed on hold. Besides ... " 

Barry flushed at the intention of that abandoned thought. He saw the devious sparkle in his friend's eyes just before tossing the camera into the bag with all the other bugs he had found. 

Barry whistled. "You sure that's all of 'em?" 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed, tying the bag shut. "Not a single one had Singh's approval stamp on them. I'll start putting up my own once I get the evidence machines working properly again." 

"Oh sure, the Captain will love that, I bet," Barry teased. 

"Of course, why else would I be here?" 

"Uh," Barry realised he really didn't know what brought Hartley in today. "I figured you were only here to distract me but then Singh ... " 

"Mmm," Hartley spun around quickly and wrapped both arms around Barry's waist, giving both ass cheeks a squeeze. "I am most certainly capable of complying with that thought. However," Barry twitched as fingers ran along his crack and pressed inward. "I do believe you're being distracted enough." 

Barry groaned having completely forgotten about the plug. He shoved Hartley away, the other laughing good-naturedly. "Why did you come in, anyway?" 

"Hmm," Hartley was studying the wiring inside one of the processing machines. "I was informed your Lab was feeling a bit weird lately so I thought I'd come by and take a look around. Get things more comfortable again. I hadn't expected on making your Lab _this_ comfortable with adding me in to the mix." 

Barry laughed as neither of them had expected for Hartley to become employed by the CCPD. Still, he was grateful Len had thought to mention the Lab concerns to Hartley. As it turned out, there were about a dozen unsanctioned pieces of surveillance equipment that left him uncomfortable. He couldn't think of anyone that would want to spy on him. 

The only pieces that were allowed were the standard CCPD equipment which Hartley made sure were working properly, along with the STAR Labs camera inside Barry's computer. That particular one wasn't standard CCPD equipment but it did have the Singh Stamp of Approval on it. 

"You do realise every one of these machines have been locked into their slowest position?" Hartley interrupted his thoughts. 

"What?" Barry went over to watch as Hartley replaced the panel and flicked a switch. "I haven't touched that setting in months. I thought they were just being overworked or dying a slow death." 

"Hmm," Hartley mused as he fixed the remainder of the machines. "Anyone else use these?" 

"No," Barry shook his head and paused. "Wait, last week. Thursday, I left the machines processing the last of the day's evidence and Jimmy was gonna finish up Friday. That can't be it though," he shook off a thought. "The machines were feeling slow for longer than that." 

"Ah," was all Hartley said. 

Barry couldn't help wondering, again, what the hell is going on around his Lab. Retrieving the last of the reports from the printer from all the evidence he was able to speed through, he felt calmer knowing that Hart will figure things out. 

When Hartley had the last machine working away, Barry nuzzled in close. "Thank you," he spoke quietly into the other's ear, knowing that he needn't elaborate. He really did feel better with Hartley there. 

As he had expected, Hartley hummed and leaned back into his touch. Barry captured those few moments to hold the other close while inhaling his scent, nibbling that delectable earlobe. He had planned on going home tonight, get started on that impossibly huge load of laundry, but the way Hart had nestled himself against his groin had Barry thinking that laundry can wait another day. 

On second thought, maybe he should lock the door to his Lab. 

He felt Hartley's fingers running lightly along his jeans and attempted to direct those fingers by wiggling a bit. However, Hart seemed to have other ideas as Barry felt him pull out his cell phone. 

Uncaring about the lack of weight in his pocket, Barry nipped down the exposed neck and popped open the upper two buttons on the shirt. 

"Oh my god, Barry! Aren't you at work?!" 

He glowered at the screen that Hartley held up, showing the face of a very flushed Dr Snow. He nipped again before responding. 

"What do you want?" Barry didn't care for this interruption. 

"Manners, Barry," Hartley elbowed him then stepped out of his embrace. "Afternoon, Snow. Just got back?" 

"Yes, actually. Was a great visit over to Star City. How have you been, Hartley? Been a long time." 

Hartley shrugged. "Long story but I'm getting better." 

"Will you be stopping by the Labs soon? Would love to see you again." 

"Sure," Hartley agreed. "Actually, we do need to stop by. Some new healing energies emerged and I need a new scan done." 

Caitlin blinked at the news. "Of course. Would be good to update my records as you haven't been around. I also brought back some new cranial scanning equipment that I've been dying to test out on Barry." 

"Excellent, we'll be sure to test that out," Hartley beamed at the idea. "No idea when we'll be done here today so it might not be until tomorrow." 

"Did Singh kidnap you again?" Caitlin scowled. 

Hartley laughed. "Yeah, something like that." 

A beep sounded from Caitlin's cell phone. "Gotta go. I'll be here for awhile so feel free to pop in anytime. It's really good seeing you again, Hart." 

"Good to see you as well, Caitlin. See you soon." 

Hartley flicked the cell phone off and handed it back to him. "Caitlin's back." 

"Ah-huh," Barry glowered at him but couldn't stay angry as the other kissed him while fondling his erection. 

"Honestly, can you not control this thing while you're at work?" Hartley inquired as he pulled his hand away. 

"Maybe if you weren't so damn distracting, I'd have better control," Barry lashed out with his teeth again but only grazed the shirt collar as Hartley stepped out of reach. 

"Mmm," Hartley plopped down in Barry's chair and began devouring the remainder of the chili. 

Barry's heart melted at how well Hartley looked at that moment, so full of life with eyes sparkling. Only a weekend has passed since having his friend back in his life again and so much has happened in those few short days. So many delectable moments that had him craving for more. 

Or maybe it was the chili that dribbled down his chin. Whatever the case, Barry felt compelled to clean up his friend again. After all, Mick does make good chili. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Well?" 

Leonard pondered the question as he lay sprawled out on the sofa. He wiggled his hips and felt the press of the pulse device which was attached to Mick's penis. He felt the pulse right on his prostate. 

"Good," came his reply as he shifted for a better angle and to get the pressure off his own enlarged member. 

Mick laughed. "Jes think how Red would like it with a few of these things." 

"Can you even handle more than one?" Leonard asked as Mick swelled up within him. He gritted his teeth as his own orgasm took over. 

Mick panted as he let his weight drop upon Leonard's back. "Course I can. What's there to handle? Stick a bunch o' pulses on me, ram meself into that sweet ass. No different from any other time, jes with sumtin a li'l extra. Kid'll love it." 

Leonard had to grin at that. "No doubt. He seems to enjoy anything that we stick inside him." 

"True," Mick laughed as he pulled out and trailed his hand along the dripping crack. He leaned in close and lapped around the hole, cleaning it for better inspection. Leonard writhed under his ministrations. 

"Looks good, no damage," Mick reported a minute later. 

Leonard hummed as he rolled over onto his back. He always thought Mick displayed good judgement in checking him over, especially when some of Hartley's tech comes into play. As rough and tough the pyro is, Mick can be the most tender person he knew and has displayed that soft side many times in Leonard's presence. 

His cell phone pinged with an incoming message. 

Pulling up the message, Leonard felt relieved as he relayed the message to Mick. 

"First day back to work going well. They'll be going back to Barry's place tonight." 

"Hrmm," Mick growled softly. "Gonna be a li'l too quiet around here without the kids." 

"What do you suggest?" Leonard tossed the cell phone back onto the table. 

"Lotta things but don't wanna wake up Sleeping Beauty in there," Mick growled again. Leonard laughed lightly at his pyro's predicament. 

"Well, we could always clean up the place," Leonard suggested as he sat up. "Laundry's piling up." 

"Most of it's Red's," Mick huffed as he also stood up. 

"Hmm, wonder why that would be?" Leonard mused as he pulled his pants on. 

"He leaks too much," Mick picked up one of Barry's sweatpants and sniffed it. "Way too much." 

"Somehow, I doubt you're complaining," Leonard patted his friend's growing erection. He easily stepped out of reach as Mick batted his hand away. 

As the afternoon wore on, the two partners handled all the domestic chores. The sun was dipping beyond the horizon as the final load was tossed into the dryer. 

Leonard mused at the amount of clothing that had accumulated at their place. A mixture of daily wear and work clothes, he had three sweaters hanging from the line in the laundry room. They were much too nice to be tumbled recklessly in the dryer. 

He also noticed how worn out the sweatpants were looking and how few undergarments there were. He made a mental note to pick up some new articles next time he was out. Nothing fancy, just whatever Barry will feel comfortable in when hanging out with them. Hartley can check the contents in his apartment, make sure Barry has enough decent articles for work. 

Settling the folded articles on his dresser, Leonard sought out Mick. He found the pyro in his bedroom, putting the last of his own clothes away. 

"Wow, you really did clean up in here," Leonard grinned as he gazed about. The room was often cluttered but never dirty. 

Mick snorted. "Always clean." 

"Hmm," Leonard inspected the bed. "You sure about these sheets?" He lazily ran his fingers over a dry spot. 

"Clean those tomorrow," Mick shoved him onto the bed. "Why clean sheets now if only to mess 'em up again?" 

"Why, indeed?" Leonard echoed the question. He didn't mind, though. These sheets were only put on before the weekend. He really didn't mind the scents of both his pyro and speedster that lingered. 

He suddenly had the urge to push Mick's buttons. 

Just as the pyro pulled off his shirt and crawled on top of him, Leonard asked, "What's for supper?" 

Mick scowled. "Whatever I give ya, ye asshit." 

"Temper, temper," Leonard leaned back on his elbows as Mick kicked his pants off. 

He quickly found himself pressed back into the mattress and the thick penis jammed down his throat. Leonard had thought about heating up the leftover chili and getting Mick to put together some sandwiches while they lazed about at the television, but this was just as nice. 

Maybe later they'll crash on the sofa again. For now though, he's enjoying the spurts down his throat. They got all night after all. 

\----------------------------------------------

"That should do it," Hartley announced as he finished calibrating the final camera. 

Earlier that afternoon a desk had been brought up along with a new computer. First thing he had done was position the desk at an angle that provided him with the largest view of the Lab, then proceeded to tear the computer apart to insert some of his own equipment. Now he has on his monitor a feed of each of the six cameras he finished installing. 

He also pulled up a feed coming from the camera in his bedroom. Nothing amiss; Kyle was still sound asleep which Hartley was pleased about. The Hunter doesn't sleep much as he's always watching over Hartley. Kyle had always claimed he didn't require much sleep anyway, not since the time when the Particle Accelerator exploded, but that doesn't keep Hart from worrying about him. 

Barry zipped in behind him. "Wow, so he really does know how to sleep?" 

Hartley grinned at the comment. "Yes, about once, sometimes twice a month he requires a good dosage of sleep. Otherwise, he's good with a couple hours every twenty-four hours." 

Barry whistled as he straightened his sweater. "I don't know anyone that survives on that little sleep. What's his secret?" 

After checking to see that his monitors at home are displaying the feeds from the new cameras, Hartley turned around to face a disheveled speedster. 

"Don't you know?" 

"Know what?" Barry asked absently as he plucked some leaves out of his hair and getting soot smeared around in the process. 

"Honestly," Hartley sighed and stood up. "Sit down before you make yourself worse." 

Hartley shoved Barry down into the chair he just vacated and headed to the washroom. That was another new feature that was added since he was there last and one that he appreciated very much. Having their own washroom meant less waiting time, especially on those days when it felt like the entire precinct has to go at the same time. 

Dampening a towel, he returned back to an even worse speedster. Hartley didn't know whether to scold him or laugh. He sighed instead, dropping the towel in Barry's lap then proceeded to unravel the sooty-sticky fingers from his hair. 

"Everyone okay?" he asked as he freed the hand. 

Barry promptly began wiping his hands with the towel while Hartley fished out the rest of the leaves. "Yeah. Science experiment in the treehouse gone wrong. Mick would have been so proud! Kid is gonna be a great scientist if he stays on this path." 

Hartley shared in on the laughter. "Good, I'm glad it wasn't another one of those fires. Did you talk with Mick about those?" 

"Yeah, gonna get him to tag along when the fires start up again. He wasn't able to get any solid information from the one next to Mrs Sanders' building. Needs to see more to get a better idea. Even though that one was due to an ancient broiler, it shouldn't have exploded the way it did. Officially, it was because it was ancient. Unofficially, it doesn't feel right to me." Barry shook his head as Hartley finished wiping his head down with the towel. 

Barry wandered back over to his own desk while Hartley checked the feeds again. Kyle had rolled over onto his stomach, blanket tangled amongst his legs. He couldn't help but feel a warm fondness for Kyle. 

"Ah, you already got the last of it going," Barry commented as he retrieved the latest batch of reports from the printer. 

Locking his computer, Hartley picked up his bag. "Yes, they'll be finished in the morning. I'll take care of them when I come in." 

"Cool," Barry replied as he zipped around the Lab straightening up, locking his own computer and retrieving his bag. "Ready to go?" 

Pocketing his cell phone after sending Leonard a quick text, Hartley nodded. "Yeah, let's get out of here." 

"My place or yours?" He knew Barry meant that as a joke, in good humour, but Hartley knew his friend all too well. 

"Yours. I want to let Kyle sleep tonight. They'll watch over him tonight." 

Flicking off the light and locking the door, Hartley headed down the stairs, Barry in tow. 

"Hartley! A moment before you leave?" 

"Hmm?" he turned to see the Captain waving him over. He glanced back at Barry and retrieved the folders from him. "I'll hand these in, see what the Captain wants. I'll be out in a few minutes." 

"Sure," Barry nodded. "I'll just be outside." 

When his friend exited the building, Hartley headed to the office. "Need something?" he asked, handing over the reports. 

Captain Singh skimmed through the folders before answering. "How'd it go today?" 

"Hmm," he had to think for a few moments as the day's events played through his mind. "Good. Got those three boxes done. My computer is all set up. Got the Lab cleaned up." 

Singh eyed him as if expecting more but Hartley really didn't know what to tell the Captain. "Okay, then. Good you're pretty much all settled in. If there's anything you need, for you or the Lab, let me know. If you need certain equipment, I'll sign off on it." 

"Okay," Hartley promised. 

After a few moments of silence, Hartley felt he had to ask. "Is everything okay, sir?" 

"What?" Singh fumbled the folders as he dropped them on his desk. "Oh, yes, of course. Actually, it's the other reason why I called you in here." 

"Oh?" Hartley watched as the Captain pulled two small boxes from his pocket. 

"You've always had a good eye for shiny things," Singh began as he opened the two boxes, causing Hartley to whistle. 

"Rob?" he inquired. 

Singh nodded. "Yes. Tonight. He's freshening up right now." 

Holding the boxes up to the light, Hartley watched at how the light sparkled off of each ring. They look very similar but with a minor difference that is only revealed in the light. One had a faint purple hue, the other more yellow. Easy decision. 

"Purple, matches his eyes," Hartley handed over the winning box to a beaming Captain. 

"Thank you! You don't know how much I've agonised over this decision," Singh pocketed the tiny black box and tossed the other one into his desk with the intention of returning it another day. 

"I'm pretty sure I have a good idea," Hartley smiled. Hearing a sound from the Captain's personal washroom, he turned to leave. "I better go. I expect a full update tomorrow." 

Captain Singh laughed. "Definitely. I, at least, owe you that. I'm glad you're back, Hartley. Hasn't been the same around here without you." 

"Glad to be back, sir. Have a good night." 

Hartley felt warm as he left, a good warmth. Back when he was first around the CCPD, the Captain had just started dating Rob. Hartley kept the news to himself as per the Captain's wishes and in exchange he got to hear all about their early dates. Nobody would ever believe that the harsh, stony Captain would turn into a giddy pile of mush where Rob was concerned. 

Stepping outside, the warmth quickly evaporated as he hurried over to Barry. 

\----------------------------------------------

Stepping outside into the fresh air, Barry inhaled deeply. As much as he enjoyed working at the CCPD, his Lab can get dreadfully stuffy at times. Sure, he did have to dash out twice that afternoon but he was much too busy to focus on enjoying the nice weather. 

Checking his messages, Barry paced aimlessly in front of the precinct, not minding Hartley having stayed behind. Whatever the Captain wanted, he's sure to hear about it in a few minutes. 

"Barry! That was some long day, huh?" Jimmy appeared out of nowhere, draping an arm across Barry's shoulders. "Honestly, I thought I'd never get through all them case files from the weekend. Did you get your three all done? I can help you finish up in the morning if you'd like." 

Barry attempted to step away but the other's grip was a bit too strong for the average person and he really didn't want to feel rude. After all, Jimmy was only just trying to help. Right? 

"Um, got most of them finished. Last of it is in the machines that I can check on first thing." Barry was inwardly grateful that the machines were functioning normally again. He had no idea how they got locked into their slowest position. 

Barry attempted to head right but Jimmy aimed him left. 

"Good! Truth be told, I wish the Captain had let me contact you on the weekend but he was quite insistent that you weren't to be disturbed. If you were brought in then all those cases would have been documented by Noon today. Instead, we were all left slaving away right until 6:00. What were you up to anyway that nobody could get a hold of you?" 

Barry blinked. That was not a discussion he wished to have with Jimmy. "Uh ... " 

"No matter," Jimmy continued on. "We're both off now and I'm famished. There's this new Italian restaurant that opened up a couple blocks from here. What say we grab ourselves a bite and head back to my place? Batman 66 on BluRay just arrived in the post today. Have you ever had a few drinks while watching classic television before? Trust me, with what I have at home, it'll be an exper ... " 

"As exceptional as that sounds, I highly doubt the Captain would appreciate you guys showing up to work in the morning still heavily under the influence or with dire hangovers. Besides, we already have plans tonight." 

Barry was amazed at how smoothly Hartley had inserted himself between him and Jimmy and nudged him out from under Jimmy's arm. 

"Oh! Uh, okay then," Jimmy stammered, looking quite baffled. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" 

"Sure," Barry replied as Hartley tugged him along. "See you tomorrow!" 

\----------------------------------------------

He watched them wander off down the road, his stomach filling with bitter acid. He silently cursed as he tapped in a number into his new cell phone. It was a moment before the ring was picked up. 

"Yes, it's me." He listened for a moment. "No, ran into a complication today. Didn't work as intended as he used other products today." 

"Yes sir, I understand. I hadn't expected him to spend the night elsewhere." He sighed, listening for another moment. 

"I know," he growled, frustrated. 

"That's another complication," he revealed after another minute. "A new guy started today and has rapidly become a nuisance." 

"Yes," he caught sight of Captain Singh leaving the precinct with another man and turned away without another thought. He had more important matters on his mind. 

"I don't know how difficult he will become. I want to observe him this week, see what his intentions are. I don't think tagging him will work as he seems the type to notice those things." He listened for another moment. 

"Understood. I'll gather that up this week and send it over. Do what you want this weekend." Pocketing the cell phone, he headed home to make plans for the week. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading! Like I said, a light-hearted chapter that focused more on advancing the plot occurring at work. Rough times are coming as we build up to whatever is actually happening in Central City. All will be revealed in Time. Chapter 6 will be intense with more fun moments so stay tuned!
> 
>  
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Caitlin Snow (Killer Frost / Frosty)  
> Medical Doctor of STAR Labs, has a chilly personality when required, and a warm heart for her closest friends. She's the primary physician for Barry Allen, especially when his Meta powers are malfunctioning.
> 
> Officer Johnston  
> One of various officers roaming around the CCPD, really nice guy, well liked.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Policy is revealed, new tech accessories for Barry, Leonard is left chilled, and everyone loves Mrs Cleary's cookies!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out to be the longest one yet. Many important details appear as they open the way for further explanation in the upcoming chapters. What may seem insignificant or random right now, will have their importance revealed later. This chapter is setting the stage for the true plot to emerge. I leave it to the readers to determine what their preferred true plot is. :)
> 
> We are introduced to a very unique Policy that exists only at the CCPD Main Branch, created by Captain Singh himself. This chapter explores that Policy and what has led to its creation.
> 
> Parts of this chapter will be a rough read. The purpose of the Policy is written as a Past Mention so it's not as brutal as it could have been, much of it is left up for interpretation but the characters themselves know the graphic details.
> 
> Abduction Memory 2 makes its way into this chapter. Much like the first, this is fully written out (not as a past mention) and is quite graphic and painful. The section is clearly marked so can easily be skipped if needed. The final Memory will come forth in a later chapter.
> 
> There are indeed some good times in this chapter especially when a new feline is introduced! Strap on your parkas as you're about to read something pretty cool in this chapter!
> 
> WARNING:  
> Graphic Assault occurs that is present day (not past assault).  
> Graphic Assault also occurs as a past mention (re: policy).  
> Abduction Memory 2 contains explicit electrical usage and dark thoughts that borders Suicidal Thoughts. This is past stuff but is explained fully rather than as a past mention.  
> Questionable Occurrences of Substance Usage/Abuse. It's been hinted at before but becomes more evident here that Barry is being subjected to something unknown that he is unaware of. Whatever it is, it is affecting his powers and mentality. Hartley also becomes affected.

**\-- Policy Play --**   


bzzt  
bzzt  
bzzt  


A slight movement caused him to groan inwardly. "Mmm, leave it." 

He heard a sigh beneath him and more movement. 

This time he did vocalise his groan as he sprawled out further, preventing any further movement. 

"You do realise you set the alarm for a reason?" 

"Only for the sole purpose of testing the alarm on a regular daily basis," he replied. "Wouldn't want the company to start making inferior alarms." 

"Honestly," the other exasperated but left the alarm alone. 

Barry Allen grinned at his victory. Spend enough time here, Hartley will learn to ignore the morning alarm. Now, he just needed to make sure his friend understands _why_ he's to ignore the alarm. 

Even though his friend hasn't regained much feeling yet in his body, Barry still felt it nice to snuggle up against him in the early morning. It was comforting as it brought back fond memories of having doing this back when they were fresh out of College. That was a calmer time, safer, more relaxing, before the Particle Accelerator exploded. 

He buried his nose just behind Hart's right ear, nuzzling and heard the resulting sigh of pleasure. How Barry had missed waking up like this, safe and secure from the outside world. 

He let his body relax and exhaled slowly, the dampness of his breath causing his friend's own breathing to hitch. He let himself drift back into sleep, content in the feeling of Hart's body beneath his own. With how he's sprawled out, arms holding Hart's sides securely, legs tangled amongst the other's, he knew his partner wouldn't be able to escape so easily. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing at the clock, it was now 7:55. Hartley sighed, wondering how on earth he was going to get to work on time. Still, he really couldn't fault Barry for wanting to sleep in a bit. The speedster does have a tendency to forget that normal humans can't wake up and dash off to work within five minutes. 

He wiggled an arm free but in doing so, he ended up slotting nicely against Barry's erection. He heard the mumbled "Mmm" in his ear. They were both wearing their boxers which Hartley felt relieved about as he really didn't want the extra distraction preventing him from being late to work. 

Which was now a moot point as he's officially three minutes late. 

"Barry." 

"..." 

He nudged the speedster. "Barry!" 

"zZz" 

He thrusted his hips in hopes of unbalancing his friend but ... well ... okay, that was a bad idea. Hartley silently cursed into the mattress as the back of his boxers grew wet. 

"Barry," he tried again, "I'm late for work." 

"Mmm, not Noon." 

A thought came to mind. "What time are you scheduled for, anyway?" 

"8:00." 

"Every day?" Hartley had thought Barry was scheduled for 10:00. 

"..zZ.." 

Hartley sighed but couldn't resist letting out a giggle. He really did miss this sleepy version of Barry. 

"Ever thought of getting a bigger bed?" Hartley asked as he wiggled a foot to the side. Still the same bed from a few years back, he thinks it's slightly larger than a single but definitely smaller than a double. 

"Big enough for us," came the sleepy reply as his foot was recaptured and brought back to the centre of the bed. 

Hartley stopped wiggling and let himself relax into the mattress. If this was any other day, he would lay there happily for the whole day with Barry sprawled out on top of him. He felt comfortable, safe and warm. 

However, as of yesterday, he's now an Assistant CSI at the CCPD. He has duties and responsibilities; he really can't afford to be tardy two days in a row. 

Maybe thirty more minutes won't hurt. 

The clock read 9:05 when his cell phone rang. Tapping the panel he installed on the side of the nightstand, Leonard's face came into view. 

"Shouldn't you be at work?" came the inquiry. 

"Tell that to Sleeping Beauty," Hartley vaguely waved a hand at Barry. 

"Have you tried pushing him off?" 

Hartley wiggled as he failed to get his legs free. "He tends to grip tightly. How's Kyle?" 

Leonard laughed lightly. "That he does. Kyle's fine, still asleep. He'll be awake sometime early afternoon. Want me to send him out for you guys after work?" 

"Yes, thank you. Provided we even manage to get to work in time for Kyle to pick us up." 

"Mmm, pick up zZz ... " 

"Honestly," Hartley mumbled as he attempted to twist around. "Len, I don't mean to sound rude but ... " 

"You need to get to work, I know. You'll check in later?" Leonard didn't appear angry at all, quite the opposite, in fact. 

"Yes, definitely," he gasped out as his boxers threatened to tear against the pressure behind him. "How the heck do you get this guy off?!" 

Leonard chuckled. "Oh, many ways. Regarding your current predicament, however, that has rarely come up as I'm usually the one on top of Barry, same with Mick. The one time Barry flopped over me, asleep mind you, I pulled my gun out from under the pillow. You can check the security footage." 

"Great," Hartley growled out. "Don't exactly keep a cold gun handy." 

"You'll figure it out, I'm sure," Leonard commented. "Talk to you later." 

The panel blinked off and Hartley stopped struggling. Seriously, was this really so bad? Sure, the Captain might suspend them for being late but that's of a minor consequence especially when in comparison to Barry nipping his neck again, right now. 

"Barry." 

"Mmm, busy." 

"Plans today?" Hartley knew better than to ask but he's enjoying this sleepy Barry too much. 

"Doing it," came the reply as he felt a hand scurry under his tank. Hartley only knew where the fingers were based on their pressure upon his skin. 

"Doing what?" He figured Barry would wake up more if he kept him talking. 

Barry giggled. "You, of course." 

"I'm now classified as an _it_?" He loved baiting the speedster. 

"You know what I mean," Barry nipped his earlobe as Hartley felt the pressure on his nipples. He would only actually feel them if Barry pressed enough for them to hurt; he still had his pain sensors but little else. 

"Enlighten me," Hartley hissed out as he felt the pinch. He didn't mind that particular pain as it was caused by Barry's fingers and he trusts the speedster completely. He gave his full consent years ago and Barry had never let him down or broken their mutual trust. Hartley also has Barry's full consent and, despite some of his own mental issues, he always does his best to not hurt his best friend. 

"I am." 

Hartley felt the truth in those words as a tingling sensation began to grow in his chest, causing him to gasp and arch back into the speedster. 

"Found one," Barry said cheerfully. 

"Okay, good, enough," Hartley panted as he tried again to wiggle free. "Save those for the weekend." 

"Mmm?" Barry continued to flick his fingers against the reawakened nipple. 

"Honestly, keep finding more spots like that and I won't be able to concentrate at work this week." Which was very true as it'll take a couple days for any reawakened tissues to begin settling into a more normal state. 

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Barry giggled. 

Hartley groaned in exasperation but he could never be angry with Barry. Before he could say anything else, the cell phone rang again. 

"Don't answer it," Barry said as he nestled snuggly against Hartley again. Within moments, Hartley felt him drift off to sleep again. 

Cell phone rang again and Hartley tapped the panel. 

"ALLEN!" came the voice, loud and clear and very growly. 

Barry bolted upright and snapped his head around looking for the source. 

"Get the hell off my CSI so he can come in to work. Can't have him being infected by your tardiness." 

"Crap! Late for work, gotta get to work," Barry rambled as he entered his usual morning panic mode. 

Hartley mused at how his friend zipped around the bedroom and into the bathroom unmindful of a watching Captain. 

A thought came to mind. "Does he know?" 

"Doubtful. Allen never notices those type of things," Captain Singh replied. 

"How long have you known?" Hartley asked as he sat up, rotating his shoulder muscles. 

"Since his first day back after his coma. Amazes me to this day that the entire precinct doesn't already know." Singh half sighed, half chuckled. 

Hartley shared the same sentiments. "Still, the fewer people that know, the better for everyone. I'd hate for the precinct to become a daily target." 

"You and me both," Singh sighed. 

"Apologies for being late, not used to getting up so early," Hartley felt he had to apologise. 

"No worries, I fully expected it and have you scheduled for 10:00. Even though _officially_ you're to be here for 8:00, I don't expect you here until around 10:00." 

"Uh, thank you?" Hartley blinked in amazement. 

"Don't worry so much about it, Hart. I know your work ethics and how you're able to get things done so you're entitled to a bit of leeway. Anyone question your so-called tardiness, I will set them straight." 

"Like you do with Barry?" Hartley inquired, now getting an idea how Barry can get away with being late all the time. 

"Exactly. He's the one CSI I trust around here to actually get the work done in a timely manner, no matter what time he comes in. All I ask is to make the effort of being here sometime before Noon. Officially, you're both on the clock for 8:00 but unofficially, which the entire precinct knows, 10:00 is the goal." 

"That's the time the Tardiness Pool begins," Hartley shook his head at the absurdity of the tardiness situation. 

The Captain laughed lightly. "Keeps the moral high around here." 

Barry zipped back in groaning about laundry. 

"You must have something clean to wear?" Hartley ducked as various articles of clothing were strewn about. 

Barry sniffed at a shirt. "Hmm, this one isn't too bad?" 

Barry zipped into some clothes and dashed out. It was only 9:45 which meant he would actually be on time to work for a change. 

"He won't make it here on time," Singh commented. 

"He does have a habit of being distracted," Hartley laughed lightly. "I'll be there soon as I can." 

"Good. Once you settle in, I'll want to see you for a few minutes." 

Hartley beamed as he very much wanted to know how the Captain's date went last night. "Definitely. See you soon." 

Clicking off the panel, he headed to the shower. 

Ten minutes later he emerged, groaning over his own predicament regarding a lack of clean clothing. He hadn't thought to pick some up before heading back to Barry's apartment last night. 

As if in answer to his thoughts, Barry zipped back in and plopped some clothes on the bed. 

"Come on, sloooow!" Barry whined. 

"Not everyone is as fast as you," Hartley growled at him and purposely started dressing slowly. He hid his amusement at the impatient speedster. 

He had just fastened his jeans when the apartment door banged open and he quickly found himself being slammed up against the wall. 

\----------------------------------------------

As much as he enjoyed seeing his friend practically naked, Barry kept glancing at the clock, not wanting Hartley to be late on his second day of work. 

He had taken a few minutes to head back to Len's place to grab up some of Hart's clothing, checked in on a sleeping Kyle, got a bit frisky with a sleeping Mick, let Len get a bit frisky with him, and dashed back here. Time was against them now. 

"Hurryhurryhurry!" 

He was about to "help" Hartley with his clothing when his apartment door banged open. 

"Barry! You're going to be late for work!" 

Spinning around, he saw Jimmy enter the bedroom. 

"Good, you're dressed, wait ... are you really wearing THAT?!" the CSI approached him, reaching for the tattered sweater Barry was wearing. 

Barry froze as he watched Jimmy pause and take in the sight of Hartley. He reacted too late when Jimmy slammed Hart against the wall. 

"JIMMY! What the hell?!" Barry yelled at him. 

"What the blazes is _he_ doing here?!" Jimmy spat out. 

Barry caught Jimmy's fist before it connected with the side of Hartley's face and suddenly felt woozy. "Jimmy, let go of him." 

He failed to see the momentary smirk and glint in the CSI's eye as he sat down. 

"Doing you a favour, Allen," Jimmy commented as he threw Hartley to the floor. "Was doing some research and I'm surprised you don't already know this but this asshole is dangerous." 

"Course he is," Barry growled. "Everyone who works at the CCPD is dangerous and knows how to handle themselves. What's your point?" He stood back up to pull Jimmy away but the CSI only pushed him back. 

"Bag," Hartley gasped out, clutching his side. 

Barry turned to the bag in question and pulled out an energy bar, a slightly different one than normal. He downed it in two bites and felt the dizziness fade away. 

"Do you know what a fucking whore this bastard is?" Jimmy hauled out a jolt stick and extended it to its full length. "You're lucky I came around, wouldn't want you to catch whatever diseases this piece of shit is carrying." 

"JIMMY!" Barry caught the stick barely in time and felt the jolt through his body. His stomach felt queasy at the thought of Hart being attacked with that stick. 

"Back off, Allen," Jimmy shoved him away and slammed the jolt stick down into Hartley's side. "Fucking piece of shit. You were the dorm slut weren't you? Always preferring to fuck the entire dorm rather than studying. Then off to Gotham for awhile. How many of those monsters and maniacs over there have you let fuck you in the ass? How many have you fucked? With all their mutated diseases over there, you're a fucking time bomb." 

Barry felt helpless as he watched his friend repeatedly getting struck by that jolt stick. For some reason, his powers always seem to hiccup when in Jimmy's presence. 

"Jimmy!" he croaked out. He found it difficult to breathe. Why?! Why would Jimmy do something like this? 

What really sickened him was the lack of reaction from Hartley. His friend just laid there taking the beating, not even flinching, as if this was a normal thing. 

"How the hell the Captain let you walk around the precinct freely, I'll never know. Fucking criminal. I'm gonna haul your ass in and let everyone know the real you." 

Time seemed to slow down as Barry realised what Jimmy was about to do. 

"Jimmy! No, don't cuff him!" 

The words were ineffective as he slowly watched Jimmy slap on the shock-cuffs. He hopped back up to his feet and forced himself over to Jimmy to push him away. He only managed to nudge the CSI before the other caught his arms. 

"Shh, it's okay, Barry," Jimmy said soothingly. "This is for your own good after all. I want to see you kept safe." 

"But, but, but ... " Barry stammered as Jimmy held him close. He tried to push him away but Jimmy only tightened his embrace. 

Moments later, he felt a surge of energy, dark energy which caused his whole body to flinch. 

"The fuck?!" Jimmy growled and stepped back, holding out his jolt stick defensively. 

Barry turned and felt nauseated as he watched his friend stand up slowly, dark energies swirling around the battered body. It was as if all the darkness they hadn't yet cleansed had surged outward. 

The cuffs shattered, the pieces falling to the floor. Hartley turned and locked his gaze on Jimmy. Barry couldn't see any green in those eyes as they had turned completely black. 

"Hart," he squeaked out but his friend held up a flickering hand to stop him. 

"Manipulative assholes who do research only do so for the sole purpose of furthering their own worth in the eyes of their prey, finding only the information to discredit those that care deeply for their prey." 

Barry blinked, confused by Hartley's words. He knew part of what Jimmy said was true but certainly not in the way the CSI believed. Jimmy didn't know what really happened all those years ago. 

"What makes you think you're worthy of Barry's attention?" Jimmy growled out. 

"Trust," came the cool reply. "Time, Comfort, Healing. You should leave now." 

Barry remained rooted where he stood as he heard the words come out in a dark tone. He had never heard Hartley speak this way before. 

"Like hell I will," Jimmy spat out as he swung the jolt stick. 

Hartley caught it easily, unphased by the sparks pouring into his hand. He ripped the stick from the CSI's hand and tossed it aside. 

That only seemed to anger Jimmy more. "You do realise assaulting an officer is a criminal offense?" 

"Meh," Hartley shrugged as he gripped Jimmy by the front of his shirt and hauled him out of the bedroom. 

Barry followed behind as Hartley exited the apartment and tossed Jimmy down the stairs. When Barry reached the stairs, he didn't see Jimmy at all, only a dark portal closing in on itself at the bottom. 

"Hart? Wha ... " he blinked, unable to find the words. He never saw Hartley like this before. 

"Hmm?" Hartley turned around as they heard a door open, the dark energies flickering away. 

"Oh! It's just you boys," an elderly lady stepped out into the hall. "I caught a glimpse of that rude boy when he arrived, I'm glad to see him leave. He won't be back, I hope?" 

"Uh," Barry blinked but she continued to ramble on. 

"I swear, this past month he was quite disruptive to this whole building, stomping up those stairs and banging loudly on your door at all hours of the night. It was always a relief when the door allowed him entry as he was much quieter then but I did worry so. Are you okay, dear?" 

Mrs Cleary peered up at him as he realised what she was saying. Jimmy had been here before?! 

"As for you," Mrs Cleary turned her attention to Hartley. "I'm so pleased to see you again. We all thought it was a sad thing when you stopped coming around. You were always such a nice boy. It was rough times back when that darn contraption blew, I feared you had got caught in the blast. Wait here one moment." 

They watched as Mrs Cleary entered her apartment. Turning to Hartley, he saw the other shrug his shoulders, the green returning in those pretty eyes. 

A moment later, Mrs Cleary returned with a tin container. 

"My heart felt relief when I heard you boys return last night, especially when I peeked through the peephole and saw this handsome one," she beamed up at Hartley, handing over the container. 

Barry saw Hart's eyes light up just as his own nostrils caught the scent. 

"White chocolate chip and macadamia nuts!" Hartley beamed and gave Mrs Cleary a warm hug. "Your cookies have always been the best. Thank you!" Mrs Cleary chuckled happily. "Anything for you, deary. Just make sure you come around more often." 

"Definitely," Hartley promised as they headed back to their own apartment. 

Barry couldn't believe this sudden change in his friend. One moment he was dark and very menacing, the next moment he was beaming while swiping a cookie. 

"Mmm, so gooood!" Hartley practically drooled. "Don't tell Mick but Mrs Cleary wins Cookie of the Year." 

"Oh, I'm sure Mick wouldn't mind not being called a Cookie," Barry laughed as he tossed a shirt at his friend. 

"You know what I mean," Hartley growled as he finished getting dressed. 

Barry watched as his friend paused; he knew a dawning thought just formed. 

"Didn't Mrs Cleary used to live below us?" 

Barry blinked at the question then remembered that this is Hartley's first time here since the explosion. 

"Oh! Yes, she did but no longer. Well, actually, she's in the same place, I moved. When I was in that coma, I couldn't really make rent payments so my stuff was moved back to Joe's place. When I wanted my own place again, I came back here but my old apartment was already taken but this place was vacant so here I am!" 

"Ah," Hartley accepted the explanation. "That's why it's smaller and the bedroom is on the left side instead of the right." 

"It's not THAT small!" Barry protested as they left the apartment, locking the door behind them. 

"Mmm, it's cozy, just the way we like it, hmm?" 

Barry couldn't help but laugh, feeling relieved at Hartley's current mood. He had to admit, he felt concerned for a moment there but ... however ... hmm ... concerned for what? Barry blinked as his thought trailed off. Whatever it was, Hartley seemed pretty okay right now and that's all that matters, right? 

The morning headed closer to 11:00 as Barry and Hartley headed off to work. The CCPD was only a few blocks away from the apartment so they took their time and walked the distance, bantering and teasing along the way. Definitely a great morning! 

\----------------------------------------------

Sipping on his cappuccino that was procured from the CC Jitters across the road, Hartley gazed around the main area of the precinct, watching all the activity as officers and detectives dashed about and numerous other employees. He stood in clear view, marveling at how dedicated these people were to their work and keeping Central City safe. 

Several dashed around him but none bumped into him. Each did acknowledge his presence, however, with a nod, smile, wave, a verbal greeting, as they remained focused on their task. He couldn't help but feel pretty damn good at being back here at the CCPD. 

Hartley had planned to head back to STAR Labs and resume his duties both there and here after Gotham but things didn't quite happen that way. Being attacked by Metas soon as he got back to Central City put a damper on his plans. He was lucky that Mick had found him and they went into hiding for awhile with Leonard. Things had been good, very good, as he got to work on his newest surveillance equipment and other high-tech gadgets that he learned about in Gotham. Creating each piece and enhancing them to his needs, adding his own unique signature, he had all the time he needed plus all the resources that were acquired for him. 

He smiled at being in that position once again. Tinkering with new gadgets, creating unique pieces, all the time and resources available to him. Even at work, here at the CCPD, he has ample opportunity to put his high-tech mind to work and dabble in the forces of subtlety. 

He half-turned and swung his arm out before the box could topple out of its owner's hands. 

"Gah, sorry, sorry," the light-haired boy mumbled as he righted his balance. 

"Calvin, right?" Hartley inquired as he set his Jitters cup down and grabbed the top two boxes so he could actually see the kid's face. 

"Right, right, that's me." Calvin flushed as he attempted to look away. Hartley couldn't help but grin at the youngster. 

Calvin was new to the CCPD, having graduated from the Academy in June. From what Hartley had learned, Calvin has excellent analytical skills and is aiming to be one of the Tech Guys, to assist with the research of electronic equipment acquired during crime scenes and any kind of research that requires him to go online into high-security databases. Hartley has always had a soft spot for those who can retrieve a lot of lost / damaged data from computers, cell phones, tablets, etc. 

Like he did with that guy last year which led to his abduction. They had met online, accidently, as they were both hacking into the Dynasty Diamond Exchange at the same time. Well, that led to a hacking chase all through digital Central City, followed by a physical encounter and a smashed laptop and repairing that laptop and each other and well ... 

He stopped the memories as he felt his own face flush, not wanting to relive a good moment in life that turned into a nasty betrayal. 

"Lead the way, I got these two," Hartley told the kid as he adjusted the boxes more to his left arm while snatching up his cappuccino. He didn't dare waste a single drop of his delectable drink. 

Setting his boxes down, Hartley quickly caught Calvin's boxes before they tipped off the edge of the table. One of the senior tech guys had caught the kid's attention and called him over. 

He grinned at the sigh he heard from behind him. 

"Only two months old and already I'm wondering if I'll ever see retirement." 

"Calvin seems alright," Hartley commented as he turned to face the Captain. "He may be young but he has energy, enthusiasm. He'll become one of our top Tech Guys before you can blink." 

"Speaking of blinking, where the hell is Allen?!" 

"Hmm?" Hartley gazed about but didn't see Barry on this level. "Have you checked upstairs? He came in with me. It's possible he's taking a nap or something." 

"Or something," Captain Singh growled but Hartley heard the amused tone in that growl. 

After making sure the boxes weren't going to topple, Hartley followed the Captain into his office, shutting the door behind him. He then proceeded with what nobody else would ever dare to do: he gave an order to Captain Singh. 

"Speak." 

Leaning against the wall, Hartley watched in amusement as the Captain startled at his tone and dropped his folders on the desk. He also felt the heat from that deadly glare but paid it no mind. 

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me." Hartley grinned in victory as the Captain flopped down in his chair. 

"Fine, you cheeky bastard," Singh growled. "We were at that fancy new Italian restaurant that just opened up." 

Ah. Hartley knew of the place, Jimmy mentioned it on Monday. 

"Good food, drink, atmosphere? Sounds pretty nice to me." Hartley wondered how difficult it would be to get a reservation, he knew Barry loved Italian food. 

"Exceptional!" Singh sighed in pleasure at the memory. "I've no doubt I'll be eating there more times in the future." 

Hartley noticed the slight annoyance in that last comment. "Oh?" 

"When I called months ago for a reservation, I remember thinking it seemed a little too easy, especially for this early in its opening. I honestly wasn't expecting this to happen until October at the earliest. They casually mentioned an opening for last night which I agreed to. I called in, I made the reservation." 

Hartley felt his eyes widen as realisation sunk in. "Rob ... " 

"Rob already had the reservation, I was merely confirming the blasted reservation! His uncle owns the damn place." 

"Oh, gods," Hartley broke out laughing. "Don't tell me ... " 

"He did," Singh growled out as he held up his hand. Hartley stepped forward and examined the shiny piece of metal. 

"Whoa, that's ... wow! And I thought the one you were going to give him was exquisite. This one ... " 

"I know," Singh spoke softly as he fondly stroked the silver band with blue tinges in the light. Hartley could also see a small purple stone inserted into the band. 

"All this time, all this planning ... " 

"Wasted because that blasted fool beat me to it!" 

Hartley laughed again. He really shouldn't laugh at his friend's predicament but this was just too darn good. "Naturally, you accepted." 

"Right after I jammed that ring of mine on his finger. I'm calling this a mutual engagement." 

Hartley blinked. "As opposed to a one-sided engagement?" 

Captain Singh's mouth opened in a reply but nothing came out. Hartley watched as the realisation of his words sunk in. 

"You know what I mean," Singh growled lightly. 

"I do," Hartley beamed at the Captain. "I'm really happy everything worked out well for you both last night and these last few years. Can I expect more stories of your adventures in the months to come?" 

"Knowing Rob, he'll have you helping him with the wedding preparations. He trusts your eye." 

"Me?" Hartley squeaked. "I've never planned any kind ... " 

"Nothing to worry about. Just help him pick out a couple things and I'll make sure he leaves it at that. Last thing I need is for you to see more of my fiancé than I do." 

Hartley heard the threatening tone in that last comment and nearly laughed again. 

"Fine, fine, that's fine," he said lightly, really struggling not to laugh. "I'm sure Rob has my number ... " 

"Oh!" the Captain cut him off again. "That's right, I need you to actually fill out your employment file. Need the boring stuff like current cell phone number, address, all that kind of stuff. I'll be sure to give Rob your number." 

Hartley blinked as the Captain thrusted a folder in his hands. "Ah, I'll get right on this." 

"No hurry, whenever you get around to it. Write your number here." 

Hartley accepted the pen from the Captain and scribbled his cell phone number on a piece of paper. 

"Good, I'll get this to Rob right away." 

Hartley turned toward the door, grinning as the Captain sent off a text message. He was about to leave when Singh spoke up again. 

"One more thing. You haven't seen Jimmy around, have you?" 

"Uh," Hartley searched through his memories of that day and shook his head. "No, sir. Haven't seen him at all when we arrived. Last I saw him was last night just as we were leaving." 

"Hmm," was all the Captain said as he turned his attention to the computer. 

Hartley left the office and headed for the stairs. He had a strange feeling that he was missing something but he wasn't sure what. It's true, he hadn't seen Jimmy yet that day. Why would he? Aside from being out in the field at crime scenes, Hartley doesn't expect to run into the rest of the squad much outside of the precinct. 

Still, he couldn't help the nagging feeling that he was missing something. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry heard the footsteps from where he was adjusting cables beneath Hartley's desk. Well, more accurately, figuring out where each one went as he had accidently removed a couple while trying to find a place to plug the new desk ornament into. 

"Barry, walk me through this morning." 

Barry bumped his head on the underside of the desk; he knew that tone, the puzzlement tone. He stood up as he jammed the new Sensor Alert into a USB port and watched those big eyes blink as it turned on. 

"Hmm," he dug into his morning memories knowing he had to stick to the facts when his friend was in this mode. 

"We got up, got ready for work, I dashed out to get you some clothes and checked in on Kyle while I was there. We bumped into Mrs Cleary in the hallway who was happy to see you again, she gave us cookies." Barry tapped the container on Hartley's desk. "Stopped by Jitters and here we are. Why?" 

He saw the puzzled look in Hartley's eyes. 

"Anything specific happen?" 

Barry thought for a moment. "I have the vague sensation I heard your cell phone ring a couple times. I still need to do laundry. Hmm ... Mrs Cleary did mention someone? I haven't the foggiest what she was talking about though." 

"So it wasn't just me," Hartley spoke quietly as he thought. "I feel like my mind is fuzzy, that something else happened this morning but there's no memory of it." 

Before Barry could respond, the new Sensor Alert sounded: Beeb! 

He was about to scurry away when Hartley grabbed him and growled, "What the bloody blazes is that furball doing on my desk?!" 

Barry was mercifully saved when a couple of officers entered the Lab. 

And so the rest of the morning went and all through the afternoon. Practically the entire precinct had now been informed that Hartley was back and came up to say hello. About every ten minutes when the next wave arrived on the stairs coming up, the Sensor alerted them with that unique sounding Beeb. 

Barry wondered how long it would be before Hartley tossed the new Sensor out the window. 

\----------------------------------------------

It had been a long time since he last stepped foot inside the main branch of the Central City Police Department. He never really had a reason to, until tonight. 

Soon as he awoke from his monthly nap, Boss informed him that they were going to pick up the youngsters from work. Kyle delighted in that information. He felt fully recharged from his sleep and couldn't wait to see Hartley again, catch up on all the news from the past twenty-four hours. 

Having left Boss outside, Kyle strolled into the precinct right at 5:00. He really wasn't sure where their Lab was so he thought to wait patiently until Hartley and Barry appeared. 

His eyes shone with excitement as a dozen standard-issue revolvers snapped to attention. Not a word was uttered but Kyle did hear the tiny rattle of one gun just a tad behind him off his left side. He kept his focus on that particular piece as he remained calm while waiting patiently for his friends. 

A dark-haired bearded guy came out of the big office that was located in the corner of the room. "What the hell is going on out here?! Stand down!" 

He heard the premature shot before the Captain finished barking his order. Kyle felt the bullet arrive at his left shoulder blade and he allowed it entry, slowing down its trajectory. He half-turned so the bullet would enter his arm and travel down it, right to where he neatly caught the piece of steel between his thumb and finger. He let out a whistle as he examined the bullet, quite impressed with the design and make of the deadly object. 

As the last of his arm solidified, Kyle turned toward a pale-looking kid and walked the three steps toward him. The entire room was silent, waiting to see what the Hunter would do. 

The kid began to stammer but Kyle hadn't a clue what he was trying to say nor did it matter; he knew the kid hadn't meant to fire his gun, his body language and the tone of his stammering revealed as much. 

Kyle held out the bullet and plopped it into the kid's palm. "Nice shot!" 

It really was a nice shot, Kyle had to admit. Despite the shakiness, the kid had a perfect kill shot. For a normal person, the bullet would have gone right through the heart. 

"May I?" Kyle tentatively reached for the revolver which the kid promptly handed over. Clicking the safety on and popping the chamber, he plucked out a live bullet and held it up to the light. It sparkled in a way he never saw before. Replacing the bullet and closing the chamber, he examined the piece, running his fingers over every inch, feeling the tautness of the trigger. 

"Nice strong fingers. Build up wrist muscle, shake less." Kyle handed the gun back to the kid, grinning as he did so. Kid will have a bright future here. 

The Captain approached him and spoke to the kid first. "Calvin, you okay?" 

The kid, Calvin, nodded shakily. "Y'yes, Captain. Sorry, Captain." The kid turned to Kyle. "M'sorry, I didn't mean ... well ... I'm glad you're okay and thank you, I'll be sure to work on the wrist muscles. Thanks and really sorry about that." 

"I like honesty and diligence." Kyle beamed as the kid, Calvin, visibly relaxed. 

"I'll go see what's keeping them," the Captain commented as he turned toward the stairs. He turned back briefly and barked out to the crew, "Rest of you might want to consider finishing up the last of those reports? Nobody leaves until I have the last one on my desk!" 

Kyle watched as the Captain turned back to the stairs. Sound returned to the precinct as the remaining officers and detectives dashed around in their haste to finish up their tasks. 

"You okay?" a detective came up to him, familiar ... ah! West! 

"Yes," Kyle replied. "Attentive here." He gazed fondly around the room at all the courageous, dedicated men and the two ladies present. 

Joe chuckled lightly. "Indeed, they are." 

The Detective's tone grew more serious. "Heard rumours but nothing solid. When did you return?" 

"Three months back," Kyle responded automatically, not feeling the need to hold anything back. He trusts West. The Detective is good toward Hartley and Barry. 

"Job?" West inquired. 

"Yes," was all Kyle said, suddenly feeling like he really shouldn't be talking so much at a police station. "Discuss another time?" 

The Detective blinked at the request. "Of course. How about Sunday? Hart's coming over for dinner, I can set another place for you." 

Kyle's eyes sparkled. Aside from Mick's, he hadn't had a good home-cooked meal in a very long time. "Yes, I'll be there with Hart." 

"Good," Joe's tone lightened. 

Having woken up from a restful sleep, arriving at the precinct to wait for Hart and Barry, witnessing the effectiveness of some of Central City's finest, and now Sunday Dinner at the Detective's place, Kyle felt quite happy. Today has been a very good day! 

\----------------------------------------------

"You do realise that policy still stands regarding any "questionable" behaviour around the precinct, especially when it involves you?" 

Hartley ignored the comment as he ran his fingers lightly over Barry's exposed nipples. He had the speedster holding up his shirts while he examined the pert nubs as they hardened. 

He heard the impatient exhale as he reached inside a pocket. "Can you not hold still for two seconds?" 

He pulled out the items he sought as Barry huffed and steadied himself. Hartley shook his head, slightly out of exasperation but mostly out of amusement as his friend tilted sideways. He reached out and straightened Barry, pressing him back against the desk and kicked his feet. 

"Might want to spread a bit for better balance," Hartley suggested. 

"Why the hell are you always so bossy?" Barry growled but in the pleasurable way that always made Hartley giggle. 

He rubbed the nipples again and pressed the uniquely blue-tinged steel objects to each one. Hartley knew Barry didn't know what he was planning as the pulled-up shirts obscured Barry's vision as they were held under his chin. 

"You love it," Hartley answered him. "Phase." 

Hartley watched the distortion of space as he pressed the steel objects in. Barry returned back to normal a second later and Hartley studied his facial expressions. Calm, curiosity, questionable, pinched, pain ... all flitted across the speedsters eyes in a matter of seconds. 

"Gaaaagh! What the hell you just do?!" Barry released a hand in an attempt to feel what Hartley did but Hart was quick to bat the hand away. 

He took a moment to admire the newest accessories. To the untrained eye, they look like nipple piercings; a bar cutting right through with tiny little handles with ridges on them. However, knowing Barry's distaste for any sort of piercings, Hartley created these ones with the speedster's powers in mind; only way in and out is by phasing. No damage remains behind, no piercing holes. 

With the sole purpose of ensuring their stability and cleanliness, Hartley leaned forward and suckled on one nipple then the other. He felt the cold steel between his lips and on his tongue, a nice contrast with the warm moisture. Plus, the unique material he used to make these, gave off a light tingling sensation to his tongue. 

Confident in their stability, he pulled the two chains out of his pocket and began attaching the smaller one to the inside handles, connecting the two. 

"Can you not hurry this up?!" Barry whined. "Anyone can pop in any moment." 

After attaching the longer chain to the right nipple on the outer handle, Hartley glanced at his monitor and tapped the feed for the camera he installed above the Lab door. He had a clear view of the stairs and the Captain coming up. He didn't bother to reveal that information to Barry. 

He was also pleased he had thought to unplug the cursed Sensor Alert. As excellent an idea it was, that had been a bad day to test it out with the entire precinct coming up. Two hours after activation, the Sensor found its way to some dark corner of the Lab. He wasn't entirely certain where he tossed it. 

"Impatience will only lead to denial," Hartley growled back as he took a moment to grope the hardened erection through the fabric. 

With the Captain two steps from the top of the stairs, Hartley dragged the chain across the heated skin. He lightly pinched the left nipple and attached the chain. 

"Are you done yet?!" Barry wiggled and hissed immediately as Hart tugged the chains in the middle and attached a tiny weighted clamp to connect the chains. 

"How's that feel?" Hartley smirked at Barry's predicament as he smoothed his friend's shirts back into place. 

Just before the speedster could respond, Captain Singh stepped into the Lab. 

"You guys nearly done?" 

The look on Barry's face was priceless and one that Hartley plans to see many times. Just as Barry whipped around, Hartley slapped a wrist band to the speedster's right wrist. 

"Just finished," Hartley responded calmly. "We'll be down in a minute." 

"Your friend is waiting downstairs," Singh informed them. "Sooner you get down there, the less bullets will be wasted." 

Hartley groaned. "Calvin?!" 

"Don't worry, the kid's alive," Singh assured him. "Kyle never laid a hand on the kid. In fact, he seemed quite fascinated by Calvin." 

"Huh," Hartley blinked. "That is ... unusual." 

"Indeed," Singh agreed and sighed. "Honestly, I have no idea what goes on in his head but I can't deny the fact that I'm pleased he's quite happy with my precinct. Getting the Legendary Hunter's Seal of Approval is quite the accomplishment." 

"Glad to hear it," Hartley beamed at the comment. "Nice to know Kyle won't be shot on sight anytime he picks me up." 

"It's good to know that Kyle can handle a bullet," Singh mused as he turned toward the door. "Allen, I'll want to see you before you head out." 

"Uh, yes, sir." 

Locking his computer, Hartley proceeded to pack up his bag, shoving Barry aside as the speedster still hadn't moved. 

"Might want to pick up the pace?" he suggested. 

"I'm gonna die," Barry whined and promptly flopped down onto Hartley's chair. 

Hartley spent the next few minutes straightening up and locking Barry's computer, packing the other's bag as well. Picking up his own bag, he headed out of the Lab, flicked the light off and locked the door behind him. Barry can find his own way out of the Lab. 

He found a beaming Kyle quickly. "Ready to go?" 

The Hunter nodded. "Nice place here!" 

"Yes, indeed it is," Hartley agreed as they headed out. "Sleep well?" 

"Yes!" came the energetic reply which warmed his heart. 

"Good, I'm glad," Hartley spoke softly as he updated his Hunter on everything that occurred since his arrival at the CCPD Monday morning. Kyle always enjoyed these updates, claiming that knowledge helps him to keep Hart safe. Even though that was true, Hartley knew it was only the partial truth. He had discovered awhile ago that the tone of his voice seems to ease the tension in his Hunter's body, relaxing the muscles. He knew Kyle found his voice pleasurable so Hart does his best to keep his friend happy. 

After all, a happy Kyle means a happy Hart. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry groaned at the unfamiliar weight upon his nipples; not out of pain but out of annoyance at his maniacal friend. Whatever popped in the idea to abuse his nipples ... okay ... it's not exactly a secret that his nipples are sensitive and he enjoys having them played with but still ... they were at the freakin' precinct! The Captain nearly caught them! 

Okay, sure, there IS that policy and Barry has done his very best to ignore that policy in various different ways but that doesn't give his crazy tormentor the right to start attaching various tech to his body. Okay, it does, but again, Precinct!!! 

Barry stumbled in the darkness of the Lab as he retrieved his bag. He silently cursed his "partner" at having locked the door which meant he had to phase through. On the other side, he had to grit his teeth as the new attachments had vibrated during the phase, causing his entire body to tingle. It actually felt pretty good. 

Dashing down the stairs, he found Captain Singh in his office. He tapped lightly on the door and entered. 

"Wanted to see me, Captain?" 

"Allen, indeed I did," Captain Singh replied as he motioned for him to close the door. 

After doing so, Barry stood patiently as the Captain locked some folders into the cabinet. He had no idea what the Captain could want this time. He didn't have long to wait as the Captain turned back to him. 

"I wanted to see how Hartley's settling in." The Captain leaned back against his desk, arms crossed as he waited for Barry's response. 

"Um, well," Barry really hadn't expected this inquiry. "He seems to be settling in just fine. Couldn't wait to overhaul the entire Lab and repair all the equipment in there. Kept complaining about how ancient my equipment was." Barry recalled the memories fondly; he really enjoyed watching his friend surrounded by various technology and equipment, at how Hartley becomes immensely obsessed and enjoying every minute of tinkering. 

"Good, I like to see him kept busy," Singh commented but Barry felt there was much more that the Captain wasn't yet saying. 

"The old crew are happy to see him again," Barry continued. "Majority of the newer staff seem okay but it will take a few of the younger ones a bit of time to warm up to him." 

The Captain snorted. "That's one way to put it." 

Barry didn't get a chance to say anything else or inquire about these questions as the Captain's cell phone rang. 

"Apologies," Singh commented a few moments later as he pocketed the cell phone. "I've been reminded of a dinner ... meeting that I'm late for." 

Barry clearly heard the pause there and hid a grin at the Captain trying to hide something. 

"That's fine, sir. See you tomorrow?" Barry headed out of the office. 

"Eventually," the Captain commented off-handedly as he hurried around his office straightening up and shutting down his computer and other equipment for the day. 

Barry grinned as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder and headed out of the precinct. Gazing around, he didn't see Hartley or Kyle and wondered where they had wandered off to. 

Rounding the corner of the building, Barry felt himself being pulled aside and pressed into the brick wall. He hissed as his chest pressed against the wall and felt a hardness slot against his crack. He didn't panic, though. 

He felt the heated breath and nip on his earlobe, feeling the need to comment. 

"You do realise we're right outside the precinct?" 

"Mmm, so we are," came the disinterested-sounding voice but Barry knew that the disinterest was at the location, not to what the other's intentions are. 

He suddenly felt a chill in the air and shuddered but was warmed quickly enough as his partner grinded against him. Barry soon forgot where they were. 

\----------------------------------------------

Leonard watched his partner's body shudder as the chill flowed through him. He smiled as he pressed his speedster up against the brick wall of the precinct, grinding into the other. 

Wrapping an arm around Barry's waist, fingers lightly resting on the jeans' button, Leonard trailed his other hand around and felt what he sought beneath the fabric of the shirts. He lightly flicked his fingers along the fabric and felt his partner flinch. 

"Hmm," he lapped at Barry's ear with his tongue for a moment. "Jumpy today?" 

Barry's breath hitched as Leonard popped a shirt button, revealing a glint of shiny metal. 

"Mmm," he hummed again. "Looking forward to revealing what's underneath." 

He fingered another shirt button, tugging but not popping open. He did, however, pop the button on the jeans. As expected, Barry hadn't noticed that particular button as his attention was clearly on his new hidden accessories. 

Leonard grinned as he pulled Barry back into his chest, lifting his own hips up slightly to make sure his partner felt his erection. 

"What'reyoudoin'here?" Barry was quite aroused and Leonard noticed a hint of apprehension, likely at their location or maybe he's still too tender to be properly played with. 

Leonard half-lowered the zipper and gave a brief fondle before turning Barry around. "Oh, I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd ravage a cute thing next to the precinct but then I thought I'd much prefer abduct said cute thing completely by hauling your delectable ass off to dinner. The Steak House that opened earlier this year has a good reputation. Interested?" 

Barry needn't have said a word as Leonard heard the growling stomach loud and clear. In response, he tapped a button on the device in his pocket and watched as the speedster's skin fluttered again. 

"Yeah, let's get out of here. Starting to get chilly," Barry headed off, unmindful of the open buttons, much to Leonard's amusement, yet unsurprising. 

He halted Barry as they reached Kyle's car. 

"Toss your bag inside. The restaurant is only a few blocks away." 

"Sure," Barry responded as he locked the car door again. "Where are they?" 

"Wandering wherever they wander," he replied cryptically as he increased the setting another notch. 

"Hopefully Kyle has a sweater on," Barry shivered. 

"Mmm, he's fine," Leonard nuzzled into the side of Barry's neck and nipped him. The chill was feeling nice, making the skin extra tasty. 

"Lennnnn," Barry whined as he nipped twice more. 

Pulling back, Leonard fingered the bruises that began forming. No chance of them healing quickly as long as Barry has the new wrist band on. Sure, Barry has full access to his powers with this new band but the healing powers have been decreased substantially, not completely subdued. How Hartley managed that, he hadn't the foggiest. 

"Fine, let's go," he growled lightly as he tugged his speedster along. He amused himself with the thoughts of how enjoyable the evening was going to be. 

A steady walk, hindered only three times with groping and another shirt button being popped open, has led them to the Central Steak House in only ten minutes. Within moments they were seated at their reserved table and their drinks poured. 

"Wow! Great place!" Barry awed as he looked around. "Smells great, too!" 

Leonard smiled. He very much enjoyed seeing Barry relaxed and interested in his surroundings. His partner was like a little kid in moments like these. 

After placing their orders, Leonard thought this would be a good time to get the business talk out of the way. That way they'd have more time later to properly focus on his real reason for abducting his speedster from the precinct. 

"How's he settling in?" Leonard asked casually, taking a sip of his drink. He heard the sigh before the words came. 

"Fine, good, excellent, exemplary!" Barry downed half his water glass. 

Leonard hid a grin at Barry's words, spoken in a way that most people would believe him to be whining but Leonard knew the true meaning behind the tone. 

"Already become the favourite?" Leonard prodded. 

"Naturally!" Barry drained the rest of his glass. "It's just like before, everyone adores him. I tell ya, I had so many interruptions at my Lab today with everyone popping in to see Hart that I couldn't get anything done!" 

"Ah-huh," Leonard turned his gaze to the waiter who arrived with their food and refilled their glasses. 

"He turned MY LAB into HIS LAB!" Barry stabbed into his chicken and took a bite. Leonard noticed the sparkle in those eyes as his partner groaned in ecstasy at the chicken. 

After a few moments, Barry continued. "He rearranged my Lab to make it appear more _efficient_ , he ripped apart his shiny new computer and turned it into a surveillance machine, ripped out all the sleazy surveillance equipment from around my Lab that were not standard CCPD equipment, installed a bunch of his own equipment, got my evidence machines working in prime condition again, printer only jams once a day now, and he's using MY computer for actual work-related stuff." 

"Hmm," Leonard couldn't hide his grin anymore. "Sounds like things are working out well. I'm not exactly sure what the problem is?" 

"My point exactly!" Barry devoured the rest of his chicken before continuing. "Yesterday was fine as majority of the precinct was busy all day. No problem aside from Jimmy attempting to arrest him." 

"Oh?" Leonard studied the worry lines that appeared briefly on the other's face. 

"Nothing came of it, it was right when the Captain appeared to inform us that Hart is the newest CSI. Was all a misunderstanding, cleared up now." Barry waved the incident away which Leonard didn't much particularly like. He'll check with Hartley on that later if the kid decides to open up, which, Leonard had discovered, has proven quite difficult these last few months. 

"Today, though, it was like the entire precinct became aware of Hartley's presence. Every ten minutes there were officers and detectives coming in and out of my Lab. Even other CSIs, a couple of the Tech guys, even the Medical Examiner with her new assistant. Some of the night crew even showed up early just to get a word in." 

"Must have been difficult for you to tend to your, uh, duties," Leonard mused. 

"Exactly! So many people coming in, I had to keep my focus on Hart as he conversed with the others. Thankfully, majority was the old crowd from before so they already knew him and were quite conscious of their words and tones. However, quite a few are new staff as they were being introduced and it was stressful keeping an eye on them all. I think a couple of the youngsters pissed their pants at his cool tone toward their greetings." Barry shook his head and tackled his pasta next. 

Leonard, once again, found himself admiring Barry for how much he watches out for Hartley. He now knew they have history but Barry hadn't gotten around to explaining that story yet. He's certain it'll come in time. 

He attempted to lighten the mood but Barry continued on, interrupting his words before he got the first syllable out. 

"There's one guy, second year on the force, he bugs me," Barry spoke bitterly and low. "Hovering too close, always talking, hovering way too close. Nothing at all like the other young admirers. Even though Hart remained outwardly calm, I saw the signs all too clearly. The guy must not know of the policy we have in place. It's possible he wasn't aware of how uncomfortable he was making Hart but ... something bugs me about him." 

Leonard knew the CCPD had many policies that are common amongst all places of employment, but he couldn't think of a single one that warrants an actual mention. He had a feeling it was a unique policy. 

"Which policy?" Leonard inquired as he really wanted to know. 

"We have a policy in place that protects Hartley." 

"What?!" Leonard blinked; he hadn't expected the policy to be quite THAT unique. "He just started yesterday. What happened?!" 

Barry flinched at his tone and he mentally cursed himself. Steadying his breathing, he asked again, "What happened?" 

Barry rubbed his eyes, still having not noticed the new wrist band. "Word for word: Zero Tolerance Policy against anyone displaying any sort of 'questionable' intention / behaviour toward Hartley Rathaway. Anyone caught in such a display will be thoroughly investigated with immediate suspension." 

"That's ... " Leonard really didn't know what to say. "That's a rather specific policy." 

Barry displayed a sad smile. "Yeah, the Captain created it specifically for our precinct a few years ago. It was ... bad." 

Leonard waited patiently as he watched the memories emerge in the speedster's sparking eyes. He had to wave the waiter away as he didn't want any interruptions. 

Barry spoke evenly and quiet. 

"There was a crime scene, a bad one, big, all hands on deck. Only a handful remained behind to handle the phones and people coming in. Hartley wasn't even employed by the CCPD back then, he was STAR Labs. He remained behind as he was called in to upgrade a few computers and repair some equipment. Gods, what they did ... " Barry's voice faltered and he paused for a few moments. 

"He had installed a camera earlier that day, in the back corner where all the copiers and printers were located. Nobody had known about it but the Captain had requested it with the official excuse to catch whoever's sneaking away with extra paper. It wasn't until later that day the real purpose of that camera came to light." 

Leonard had a good idea as to what Barry was about to reveal. He watched as his friend drained the last of Leonard's glass. 

"When I got back to my Lab, I found him under my desk, petrified and nearly passed out. He could barely move. I remember wondering how he even made it up the stairs. Battered, bruised, bleeding out on the floor, the stains are still there actually. There was no saving his clothing. The Captain had come up with me and he immediately called in the M.E., locking the door soon as she arrived. They ... injected him with stuff and ... well ... it's all on the security footage and the report. The two officers ended up only with a one-week suspension and transfer to another precinct." Barry growled out that last statement. 

"The Captain was livid at the verdict. During that week, while Hartley was in hospital, the Captain created that policy and dared anyone to challenge it. Nobody could believe anyone would assault Hartley, let alone ... anyway, he was well liked around the precinct and it just seemed like an impossible situation." Barry shook his head and settled back in the booth again, clearly done with the conversation, the sparks fading from his eyes. 

Leonard waved the waiter over and got their water glasses refilled. When he had gone, Leonard inwardly seethed. This was all new information as he hadn't seen Hartley much back in those days. Even when he had seen him, Hart had never been forthcoming with information about his personal or work lives. 

He was startled out of his thoughts as Barry spoke again, barely audible. "They plugged him. Where the hell they got that device, I haven't the foggiest. There was a broken switch on the base that released spikes when inserted. Hadn't known about the spikes. So much blood came out mixed in with several loads. Two weeks later, when he came back in, he had difficulty walking but never once complained. He barely spoke though." 

A thought came to mind. "This was right before Gotham?" 

Barry nodded. "He departed about three weeks later. He was barely sleeping, eating. Needed to escape for a bit. Officially, he went to Gotham for more studies as new courses emerged regarding the latest in surveillance technology and other high-tech gadgets. That's the reason everyone knows." 

Leonard nodded. "Unofficially, and only certain trusted individuals know, he obtained all that new knowledge along with fixing himself up. I know he had a lot of training out there with a ... certain ... individual." 

Barry had leaned forward again, resting his arms on the table, eyes lit up in curiosity. 

Leonard had to admit, it felt good being able to tell Barry something he hadn't already known. 

"When Hartley got back to Central City, that was when Mick departed the Heights, found him, and they tracked me down. That's common knowledge. What's not so commonly known is Hart being out in the field with us far more often than we let on. You only saw him a couple times as you weren't expecting him to be out there, only the rest of us. I hadn't known at the time, not until you mentioned it a couple weeks ago." 

He paused for a moment, pushing his water glass over to Barry, watching as half the contents was drained quickly. 

"It wasn't just heists we did," Leonard continued. "There were also territorial battles with other gangs from both within Central and new ones coming in from other cities. Even after the bloodiest of scrimmages, Hartley always emerged the victor. He never once had a scratch, always remained calm, and knocked out the most targets. He also never once killed an adversary. Truth be told, the only times he came back with some damage was when you slugged him. Nobody else had been able to touch him." 

He heard the light chuckle. "Yeah, kinda had to make things look good back then. Couldn't have the news reports believing I was favouring the Rogues. I knew he would heal up quickly." 

"Whereas you gave us your full attention," Leonard couldn't resist growling. 

"Of course!" Barry defended himself. "You two are Central's Most Wanted and can easily take a punch. Besides, I've always been in favour of making sure you get some rest before your next big heist." 

"Oh?" Leonard couldn't hold back his amusement. "So, you're saying you were only looking out for us?" 

"Naturally. Someone had to, otherwise you would have worked yourself to death and brought the others down with you. Lots of rest also meant less evidence for me to process the day following one of your heists." 

"Ah, I thought so. It really was only about you." Leonard delighted in having improved his speedster's mood. "It amazes me to this day how the precinct allows such a lazy guy to ... " 

"I'm not lazy!" Barry protested, cutting him off. 

"Only eccentric, high-strung, dense and impeccably tardy, never lazy." 

Leonard had to agree with those words while Barry groaned out "Captain!!!" 

"Snart." 

Leonard glanced up at the greeting and returned his own with a nod. "Captain." 

He had to admit, Captain Singh was looking quite nice especially with a taller, handsome guy standing beside him. Leonard hid a grin as he saw the sparkle on a particular finger. 

"I don't believe you guys have been introduced," the Captain began as he indicated his partner. Before the Captain could continue, Barry jumped right up. 

"OMGDrRob!!!" 

Leonard blinked as Barry practically hurled himself at the man. 

"You're Dr Rob! Central's top brain expert! I've read all your papers and have both first-edition hardcovers and paperbacks of your three novels and despite my expertise not being the brain and having being confused by a lot of things you wrote, I still learned a few things and my studies with Caitlin Snow at STAR Labs has helped a bit but would love to talk more with you and possibly get my books signed, well, your books but my possession and ... " 

"ALLEN!" 

"Eep!" Barry froze completely at the Captain's bark. 

"Sit down before you hurt yourself," Captain Singh growled lightly as Barry promptly plopped back down in his chair. 

A cell phone rang that a grinning Rob answered before turning back to them. "Apologies, but I must take this. Regarding a patient. Real pleasure to finally have met you both. We'll need to get together sometime, yeah, yeah, I'm here ... " Rob turned his attention back to the phone as he wandered off. 

"ThaThaThaTha ... " 

"Barry?" Leonard turned toward the rambling mystified speedster. 

"OMGThatwasDrRob!!!!" 

"I'll be sure to let Rob know how fascinated you are by him," Captain Singh let out an amused sigh. 

Leaving Barry to his non-sensical rambling, Leonard focused on the Captain. "What's on your mind, Captain?" 

"Straight to business, Snart? Always liked that about you, never wasting a single moment." Singh nodded his approval. "I want to know how Hartley is doing outside of the precinct." 

Leonard pondered the request for a moment. "Hart is doing far better than expected considering the circumstances. Still has rough moments but has a far better support system now. His body still has many injuries but we have better means to heal him. Slow process but he's improving on a daily basis. Lots of bad memories but far more better ones." 

"Gotham?" 

"Learned a lot over there. Hart is far more capable now of handling himself in difficult situations. He won't let you down." Leonard believed his own words completely. Gotham has done his young friend a great deal of good. 

"Good," the Captain seemed pleased. "I hesitated at first in my decision to recruit Hartley full-time as I don't want to see a repeat of a past incident. Knowing he's better able to take care of himself makes me feel more comfortable with my decision." 

"The Policy?" Leonard inquired. 

"Ah, yes, naturally you know of the Policy. Allen has told you about it?" Leonard nodded as Singh continued. "That was a bad day. I created that Policy to keep Hartley safe. He's much too valuable to be treated in such vile ways. Anyone who displays such questionable behaviour will be automatically hit with a three-day suspension with possible expulsion depending on the findings of the investigation." 

"How many suspension days has Barry racked up this week?" Leonard couldn't resist asking. 

"HEY!" Barry protested. "I'll have you know that _all_ my intentions are clearly definite, nothing questionable whatsoever!" 

Leonard blinked at how blatantly Barry revealed that information and right in front of the Captain who created that Policy. To his amazement, Captain Singh barked out a laugh. 

"Leave it to Allen to find a loop-hole in _my_ Policy. Just don't go spreading it around the precinct, you hear me?" Singh glared at Barry. 

"Yessir," Barry blinked, clearly taken aback at the Captain's light tone. 

"Why did you hire Hartley?" Leonard asked. He knew Hartley would be of great benefit to the CCPD but he had a suspicion that the Captain had his own unique reason. 

The Captain sighed but responded, "Security. The official reason is for him to become Assistant CSI, partnered with Allen. That gives off the impression he's there to keep an eye on Allen. Everyone, well, all the older folk who were around during his first stint, are all familiar with Hartley and like him a lot, often jokingly claiming he's the Boss' Favourite. I want that to continue." 

Barry groaned. "I knew you hired him to keep an eye on me. C'mon, Captain. I really don't need a babysitter!" 

Leonard noticed how Singh ignored the CSI; the Captain knew Barry all too well. 

"Unofficially, and this is just between a handful of folk, something is going on in _my_ precinct and I want to get to the bottom of it before someone gets hurt. I have my suspicions but nothing solid." 

Leonard nodded. "Understood. Hartley is the best at what he does and will no doubt prove himself invaluable. What's the other reason?" 

The Captain let out a genuine grin. "To keep this one," he indicated Barry, "in line, of course. Plus, Hartley is the perfect alibi to explain Allen's tardiness and multiple disappearances throughout the day, how Allen is able to process evidence so quickly. Two people working makes everything appear more logical." 

"Go away so I can die already," Barry whined. 

"As long as you're resurrected at some point in the morning, feel free to die as many times as you wish tonight," Singh growled. 

After bidding one another good night, Leonard reflected upon the newest revelation, that Captain Singh really does know Barry is The Flash. He wondered if Barry was even aware of that fact. Nah, smart as Barry was, he's not _that_ bright. He also highly doubted Barry knew that the Captain and Rob were engaged. 

Reaching over, Leonard poked a finger in through an opening in the shirt and lightly tugged on the chain hidden within. That earned him a hiss, glare and the full attention of his speedster. 

"Let's get out of here," he stood up, chuckling as Barry mumbled out curses. Paying the tab with a generous tip, they exited out into the night. 

Barry promptly shivered as Leonard increased the setting to 7. He had to remember to thank Hartley for the new Ice Band. He loved how Barry shivered and absentmindedly stepped closer to Leonard, allowing him to get frisky on their way to Barry's apartment. 

By the time they reached the building, Barry's zipper was fully undone, only his belt keeping his pants up, the fabric of his boxers bulging out nicely. More shirt buttons were undone causing the moonlight to reflect beautifully on the double chains. The shirts were also half-pulled out of the pants. 

Leonard delighted in having his speedster so disheveled and not having realised it. It amazes him daily how clueless his delectable Flash could be. Which is part of the reason why he's pleased with having Hartley at the CCPD to keep an eye on Barry. Whatever is going on at the precinct that is causing some unknown stress and affecting Barry's sensibility more than usual, his tech-savvy friend will be able to figure it out. The other reason he's pleased with the new position is because Hartley gets to send Barry home looking so ravishing and very aroused. 

Climbing the stairs and entering the apartment, Leonard promptly divested his prey of those shirts and took the time to truly admire the new accessories, giving them his undivided attention. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry had to admit that this was one strange day that was going quite well. However, his gut was telling him that there's a 'but' in there, somewhere. Likely prompted by Hart's puzzlement regarding that morning. Still, he also had the nagging feeling that he was missing something. 

He also had the nagging feeling that he was missing something regarding the weather. He could have sworn it was supposed to be a warm night but he felt a chill since leaving the precinct. It was considerably warmer inside the Steak House but the temperature had dropped considerably upon leaving. 

Barry knew he can be incredibly dense at times but also knew that everything had a tendency to work out. When he's in his pure self mode, like he was with Len right then, he knew he can miss things but he trusted Len enough to watch out for him, keep him safe, alert him to anything important. Barry trusted his friends and would never enter his pure self mode unless one of them was around. 

However, at the precinct, Barry had been feeling odd lately. It felt like he was entering a mode that was way more vulnerable than his pure mode. He had difficulty thinking and comprehending things, he felt erratic in his movements and could almost swear he may have accidently tapped into his Speed Force when others were around. He couldn't be certain though as he often felt hazy and his mind muddled; like that morning, briefly, just before heading off to work. 

Being so used to his body and Speed Force automatically shifting him into a different mode based on the situation, when something important comes up or his attention needed to be on high alert, Barry hadn't thought much about his vulnerability at first. However, he has become more uneasy over the last few weeks and began discovering some blank portions in his memory. 

Whatever was going on, as insufferable as his friend was, Barry is mighty glad that Hartley is around at the precinct to keep an eye on him. Hart is the one guy that can figure out what the heck is going on with him and his Lab. 

Hart is also the one guy that can torment and frustrate him relentlessly through the work day, then toss him out on his ass to be picked up by some master criminal. Not that it's really a bad thing; Barry did get to eat some delicious food, got to meet the infamous Brain Surgeon Dr Rob, got growled at by the Captain, and now his body was tingling as he inadvertently vibrated to warm himself up. Okay, he really wasn't sure if he wanted to fuck his best friend or kill him. 

His braincell switched gears soon as he felt the blast of cold air coming from his apartment. He hissed as he looked around and saw the A/C sitting silently in the window. 

"Interesting material." 

Barry momentarily forgot about the chill when he heard those words spoken in his ear. His entire attention quickly focused on what his master criminal was doing, which was inspecting whatever it was that Hartley branded him with. He hissed at the tug on his nipples. 

"Yeah, sure, interesting," Barry gritted his teeth as Len pressed in on one nipple which caused his whole body to vibrate, then tingle with that new sensation. He gasped as Len repeated with the other nipple. 

"Very interesting, indeed," Len chuckled as he undid Barry's belt, letting the pants drop to the floor. 

"Oh gods," Barry whined as he felt himself tense. Not from Len divesting him of the last of his clothing, oh no, never that, but he found himself struggling to not vibrate as he started to relate that with whatever that new tingling sensation was. 

"Relax, Barry," Len spoke soothingly while running fingers lightly over his arms. Barry wondered when Len had moved around to be in front of him, he hadn't felt him move at all. 

"Barry?" Len's voice grew more concerned which he barely registered. 

Barry was sensing something but he had no idea what. He completely forgot about the chill as he focused his senses on his apartment. He also completely forgot about Len as he stepped out of his partner's embrace and wandered around. 

Something was not right in his apartment. 

\----------------------------------------------

Truly a spectacular sight, Leonard marveled at how the blue-tinged steel sparkled in the light. It wasn't pure steel, might not even be steel at all, but it resembled the material very much on the outside; it was the inside where the mystery is. Whatever it was, the material was certainly not something that he or Kyle picked up during their raid on STAR Labs. 

He felt the difference in his fingertips as he pressed into each object, feeling the hum of the material. Barry's body vibrated beautifully as Leonard pressed in each nipple, followed by a rippling of skin as the objects sent their own pulse waves through the body. It was as if his speedster had become an instrument or a vibrant piece of art. 

Leonard immediately felt something was off soon as he moved in front of Barry. His partner had tensed and had a confused look in his eyes. He tried to calm his friend down by rubbing his arms but Barry seemed to have checked out completely. 

"Barry, what is it?" Leonard followed closely behind as Barry stepped away. When Barry was in this mode, there were usually sparks from his Speed Force but Leonard saw none of that. 

"Something ... something ... " 

He watched as Barry moved around slowly as if he's tracking something but Leonard had no idea what it could be. 

He lightly bumped into Barry's back as the other had stopped and poked at the wall. Leonard saw nothing there but upon closer inspection, the paint did seem a tad lighter. He watched as Barry vibrated his fingers and plunged them into the wall, pulling out with his prize. 

Leonard immediately grabbed the bug and deactivated it. He very much wanted to smash it but he's quite familiar with such devices that he knew deactivating would prove more valuable in trying to track its owner down. 

Putting his intended activities on hold, Leonard assisted Barry in scouring the entire apartment. However Barry was tracking them, between the two of them, they pulled out seven more bugs, three cameras and two of something he had never seen before. Leonard will make sure these get over to Hart. 

Leonard also noticed how Barry left one particular camera alone along with some sort of panel on the bedside table. He couldn't be certain if Barry actually registered those while he was in this mode but when Leonard inspected the items himself, he realised that Barry had sub-consciously deemed them as acceptable. They had Hart's unique signature on them after all; a tiny green bolt that was so dark that the normal eye cannot see it embedded in the black material. Leonard knew that signature quite well and found himself pleased that Hartley had started tagging their speedster's apartment. 

Leonard also wondered how Hartley failed to sweep the apartment first. No matter how distracted the kid may have been, that's the one thing that Hart has always done instinctively upon entering a room. Leonard has seen it many times in the past especially when returning after a heist. They'd be talking and going over the results, Hartley going over every single detail while at the same time wandering the Rogue Base and plucking out newly inserted bugs and checking his own. He's also done that at Leonard's place many times. 

But not here. That bothered Leonard. 

Before he could pursue that thought further, Leonard felt familiar sparks behind him. He felt the cool arms wrap tightly around him a moment before Barry said "Vibrate!" 

Vibrate he did. Leonard gasped as every inch of his body vibrated for two incredibly long seconds. He then felt a pulse wave down his back as he heard Barry's "Ahhhhhhhgh!" in his ear. Whatever those steel piercings were, whatever their material, Leonard found himself enjoying them very much. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry delighted in leaving his criminal in a sweaty, trembly mess. Once he came back to himself, Barry felt normal again, relaxed, blissful; he simply had to let Len know that all was well. 

Maybe a little too well. Barry felt the heat of that glare as Len turned around. Barry giggled as he always did when he felt completely safe and relaxed. 

"Barry," came the expected growl. 

"Got 'em all," he replied back, gesturing toward the pile on the dresser. 

"Indeed," Len wrapped his own arms back around him which Barry melted into. "You're sure that's all of them?" 

Barry thought for a moment, gazing around again, feeling the hum of his new nipple ornaments. He didn't feel a tug on his senses so he nodded. "Yes. No more tugs, no more bugs." 

"Tugs?" Len inquired as he tugged on the chains lightly. Barry felt his skin ripple again which he was now enjoying fully since the bugs are all gone. 

"Yes. It was like a tugging feeling on my senses, quite distracting actually," Barry explained as he felt Len's warm hands feeling up his chilled torso. "Not your kind of distraction," he suddenly giggled as Len nuzzled into his neck and nipped him. He let his partner continue for a few moments while he collected his thoughts. 

"I didn't feel anything last night or this morning," Barry continued when Len had paused to simply hold the speedster close. "But I felt something when we entered the apartment. I thought it was the chill of the apartment and didn't think anything of it as there were more pressing things on my mind." 

He felt Len press against his ass, making sure Barry felt the growing erection. He giggled before continuing. "I started losing track of my senses, I couldn't sense you, could barely feel you. I somehow dropped into a different mode, one that I'm starting to think I've been in before but have no actual memory of. Kinda scary, if you ask me." 

Barry felt the arms tighten around him as he shuddered. "I then felt a hum, something that broke through that mode. I focused on it and felt the tugs. Next thing I knew, it felt like my Speed Force woke up and I was instantly refreshed." He paused for a moment before asking a much needed question. "I didn't do anything weird or anything, did I?" 

Barry feared he may have done something during that period of time but couldn't bring himself to use the real words on his mind. He knew Len would know what he meant and found himself feeling relieved with the reassurance. 

"No, you've done nothing wrong," Len spoke soothingly in his ear. "You merely forgot I was here as you wandered the apartment gathering up all the bugs. At first, it seemed like you had entered your Speed Force mode as you went into that single-focus serious mode but you didn't display any of your sparks. That did worry me but not for long. Once you found the first bug, I realised what was going on. When the last one was deactivated, you sparked back to life again." 

Barry sighed in relief and pressed further into Len's chest. "Gooood!" 

"Mmm, very good," Len agreed. 

While taking in all the pleasurable sensations, Barry let his mind wander, pondering where all those bugs came from and how they came to be in his apartment. His thoughts then turned toward that undesirable mode he had entered and he shuddered again. That mode was devoid of feelings, sensations, warmth ... it frightened him. 

"Barry!" 

The barked order brought him back to his senses again. "Huh? Wha?" 

"Stop thinking," came the reply, more softly. 

Ah, right. Barry giggled as he let his body meld into that of his partner. He hissed as he felt chilled again but soon felt himself warmed up as Len rubbed his own naked body against Barry's. That felt really nice. 

Flopping forward on his bed, Barry shivered. "Len?" 

"Hmm?" 

Barry wiggled as Len laid down on him. "I'm cold." 

"Course you are," Len chuckled in his ear. "One sec." Barry felt Len shift a bit and felt the other slot nicely inside his crack. "Better?" 

"Mmm," Barry mumbled out and shivered again. He wiggled again until he positioned his hole right against the tip of Len's cock. He paid no attention to Len's amused hums nor his partner's lack of movement while letting Barry do all the work. 

"Len?" 

"Hmm?" 

Barry grinned despite the new level of chill. He curled his right hand fingers into those of Len's and braced himself. "Let's warm up." 

Barry giggled as he felt Len tense above him a second before Barry shifted, allowing the fully hardened cock to plunge deeply inside him. 

"Barry," Len hissed in warning but that was as far as he allowed Len to get. 

Barry vibrated. 

Having vibrated many times in the past couple years, Barry didn't feel them much anymore but he remembered how they felt, and knew just how Len was feeling right that moment, especially on the highly-sensitive cock which was streaming fluids uncontrollably into his ass. Barry really liked that feeling of not just one, but two loads flowing into him in rapid succession. He felt warm all over when he relaxed into the mattress again. 

Once the last vibration died away, he was immediately slammed by the pulse waves coursing through his body. That's what that new tingling sensation was; it was similar to what Mick had done on Thursday in the kitchen but quite different. Back then, the pulse waves were more a tingly electrical sensation, like that of his Speed Force, caused by whatever gadget Mick had. This time, the pulses were more ripples flowing through his body, activated when he tapped into his Speed Force. The longer he vibrated, the more intense the ripples. He had a damn good idea that's what the purpose was of his new accessories. 

"Gaaaaaaaaaah!" Barry gasped out as the ripples took their sweet time in finishing their run. He couldn't believe just how devilishly good that sensation felt! 

"You are going to be the death of me," Len snarled into his ear which caused Barry to giggle. He loved that particular threatening tone, very unique in moments like these, reserved specifically for him. 

Barry felt Len trail fingers along his right wrist, felt him pull out and settle on his side, then heard something thump on the mattress near his head. 

"Hmm?" Barry blinked, clearing his vision from his pleasure-haze, as he saw the device inches from his nose. 

Len pressed into his back and nuzzled him again. Barry watched as Len removed his right hand from ... Barry blinked as he only just noticed the band on his wrist. 

Len chuckled. "Figure it was time to let you know what's been happening this evening." 

Barry gasped out and shivered as he watched Len increase the setting on the device. He inadvertently vibrated to warm up which unleashed those new pulse waves again. Whatever setting the blasted device was now at, it was the exact setting required to send his body into a relentless loop of chill, vibration, pulse, chill ... 

How he cursed his maniacal friend ... and that blasted criminal for laughing at his predicament. 

\----------------------------------------------

A buzzing sound woke him up. Glancing up at the clock, Leonard saw it was only 7:30. He groaned at the early hour and tried to roll over but found himself firmly clamped in a tangle of limbs. 

He had absolutely no idea how Barry had rolled on top of him. 

Leonard couldn't help but grin as he remembered Hartley's predicament from yesterday morning. He also remembered his own advice and sighed at the lack of his cold gun. Still, he wasn't completely defenseless, not at all. 

Reaching under the pillow where he stashed his newest gadget, Leonard activated the device and pressed it into one of his captor's arms. Very much resembling a taser, this one sent out any icy blast rather than electrical. 

Barry jolted awake, flailed and fell heavily to the floor. 

Leonard grinned sleepily as he replaced the ice-taser under the pillow, pulled up the blankets and fell asleep again. 

He had no idea how long he slept but he had the vague sensation he heard some strange noises during his time asleep. Static, gasps, groans, thuds, humming, mewling, grunts, sighs, and explicitly graphic curses. He paid no mind to any of it as he drifted back into sleep. 

"Got it!" 

Leonard snapped awake as he felt Barry sitting on the back of his thighs, hands kneading into his ass. 

"Barry," he hissed at him, feeling uneasy with this position. 

Glancing over his shoulder, Leonard blinked in amazement at how good, _desirable_ , Barry looked right that moment. No longer wearing the chains, the steel pieces were still firmly inserted into those erect nipples, sparkling more vibrantly than last night. Leonard believed that Barry's current sparking mode was causing those objects to sparkle. He could only imagine how intense the ripples were flowing through his speedster's body right then. 

He gasped as he felt the ripples course through his ass, right where those delectable fingers were caressing his skin. It felt, surprisingly good. 

It was Barry's current mode that entranced Leonard. Sparking lightly with his Speed Force, there were also traces of green and purple mixed in. This was more than just his Speed Force mode; Leonard had the strange sensation that Barry entered a Timeless mode. 

Leonard sighed and forced himself to relax into the mattress. He really didn't want to interrupt Barry in his new mode. He knew Barry would never hurt him, especially now as his friend was fully in Force mode, and he really was enjoying the new tingling sensations along his backside, ass and thighs, but many years of survival mode has hardened him against this closeness of intimacy. He had only ever allowed one person to be sitting right where Barry was now. 

He gasped again as he felt the tension flow out of his body, his muscles relaxing. He nearly drifted off to sleep again with how _good_ he felt. 

Eyes snapping open again, Leonard felt Barry lean along his back and nuzzle into his neck. Turning his head slightly, he saw the sparks in those eyes, felt the sparks along his entire body. 

"Barry?" he sighed out softly, not expecting a reply. 

Barry smiled and lifted himself up. He heard the speedster hum lightly and saw blue sparks add into the mix. That was when Leonard noticed that Barry had the Ice Band attached to his wrist again. Whatever the setting was at, it was causing the blue sparks to dance beautifully along the speedster's smooth body. The steel tech were humming noticeably now and glowed in that vibrant blue colour. 

Leonard had no idea if this exquisite display was Hartley's intention but he certainly wasn't complaining. 

Leonard tensed briefly as he felt fingers running inside his crack; Barry kneaded the tension right out of him. Leonard shivered slightly as he felt the chill; Barry vibrated his fingers to warm him up. That's how it went for the next few minutes as Barry prepared him for what he knew was coming. Leonard didn't know how to feel about that but reminded himself that this was Barry, everything was okay. 

He felt the fingers enter him, causing his body to spasm lightly but soon settled as Barry sent a sense of calm through this body. Barry always kept one hand on him, whether it be his ass, side, back, while the other worked his most private of areas. Leonard found he appreciated that very much, how Barry responded to his body's reactions and able to ward off the uncertainties, filling him with warmth and trust. 

What really gave his trust unconditionally over to Barry was how his friend had nestled against him and stayed still. Leonard felt Barry's erection resting lightly against his prepared hole but nothing beyond that. He did feel the chill, which, he had to admit, felt quite refreshing and tingly. He did feel the warmth flow through his body and the relaxed muscles. He also felt perfectly in control of his both his body and his mind. Leonard knew that Barry wasn't coercing him into anything; his friend was only making sure Leonard doesn't get hurt, and not just in the physical sense. Barry was watching him closely, watching out for him. 

Knowing damn well he was in the most vulnerable position ever, and the riskiest, Leonard took a few precious moments to breathe deeply, in and out. Vulnerable as he was, he also knew that he was in full control. 

Bracing himself, Leonard pushed backwards onto that now vibrating cock. 

He gasped at the immense chill and the sensation vibrating along his walls. Very cold, yes, but he was protected by the heat. He let himself adjust to the incredible sensations for a few moments, focusing on his breathing, once again marveling at how Barry is not forcing himself upon him. 

Barry leaned down and kissed the side of his neck, then trailed his tongue upwards to his cheek. Normally, Leonard is the one doing that, all of _this_ , to Barry but he had to be honest with himself, he's enjoying this very much. 

Inhaling the strange mix of sparks and their various heated scents, Leonard lifted his head and grazed his own lips against his special friend's cheek. He spoke softly to his Flash, "Go ahead." 

He knew Barry was waiting for him, very patiently waiting for those words. 

For the next several minutes, Barry slowly slid the rest of the way in, never letting up on the vibration. He pulled out slowly, then back in again with a bit more speed, and out again. Leonard appreciated how Barry was taking the time for him to adjust to each speed before kicking it up a notch. 

He wasn't certain how long it was before he felt Barry tense up and unleashed his first load. Leonard groaned and cursed loudly at the icy blast, his own body shuddering with the chill, or maybe it was because he had also ejaculated, now that he can feel the wetness around his own hardened cock. 

He heard Barry giggle above him as his body continued to spasm. Leonard cursed the speedster ... for what, he had no idea but the more he cursed, the more Barry giggled. 

He found he liked Barry's giggle very much, no matter which mode his friend was in. 

After a few minutes, Barry leaned forward and finally spoke. "Mmm, again?" 

Leonard growled, "Get on with it." 

Barry giggled at the order and set to work. 

Leonard grunted pleasurably as Barry picked up his speed and hardened his thrusts. Once again, he felt that icy blast slam into the heated protection along his walls, ejaculating again himself. 

Leonard shuddered from the overwhelming mixture of sensations from, well, everything. It was intoxicating, pleasurable, addicting, desirable. 

Barry giggled again. "You feel good." 

Leonard laughed at that comment, feeling very _good_ indeed. "Not as tasty as you, I can assure you." 

"Mmm," Barry licked up his spine which Leonard suddenly arched as the tongue was also very much chilled and his back was plastered with sweat and he had always found the edges of his spine to be quite sensitive. "You taste good." 

"Aaagh," Leonard panted as his body convulsed into his third orgasm of the morning. That set Barry off into his own third load but, unfortunately, that was when Barry was refocusing back into the present and had glanced at the clock and ... 

Leonard braced himself as he felt the surge of Panic Mode settle in. He hissed as the icy blast struck his now unprotected walls as Barry wailed at the time and pulled out. Leonard felt the last of the load splatter on his backside and he shivered. 

Feeling numb and unable to move, Leonard couldn't fault Barry as he listened to his beloved zip around the apartment cleaning himself up, getting dressed, quickly kissed him and dropped a damp cloth somewhere on his back, and dashed out the door. Leonard did, however, curse his speedster for leaving the warm cloth where he couldn't reach it. 

Reaching for his cell phone on the nightstand, Leonard startled at the thought he had. Tossing it around in his head for a few moments, he realised he really did love Barry. He would do anything for him and knew Barry would do anything for Leonard. He buried his face into the pillow, wondering how the hell this had happened. 

A tiny mewl brought him back to the task at hand. Swiping his phone, Leonard sent off a text message to Mick. He felt utterly spent that he let his arm drop down after pressing SEND. The last visual he had before drifting off to sleep was the number on the control device that appeared before him. 

\----------------------------------------------

When he received Leonard's text message, Mick hadn't any idea what he would find. The text was a clear order for him to get over to Barry's apartment right away. He hadn't wasted any time getting there and picking the lock. 

Now he stood at the bedroom door leaning up against the doorframe. What Mick saw almost concerned him but not quite. His partner was laying on the bed with his arm dangling over the side, the cell phone on the floor where he had dropped it. Nearly butt naked, Mick did note the cloth that had been tossed haphazardly on the lower back. 

"Gonna stand there all fucking day?" 

Mick grinned at the growly tone, not bothering to move. "Takin' in da view." 

Leonard did manage to twist slightly to glare back over his shoulder and Mick saw the strain hidden in those eyes. 

"What happened?" Mick inquired as he approached the bed, reaching for the cloth. He hissed at how cold it was. 

"An experiment that was going perfectly well but then the usual Late for Work Panic set in," Leonard growled more softly this time. 

Mick rubbed that delectable ass only to find it colder than the cloth. "Yer ice cold," he muttered. He leaned down and examined him more closely. He poked a finger at the frosty cum trickling slowly out of the hole. "Da hell Red do?!" 

Leonard winced at the touch. "Remember that new wrist band Hart was working on?" 

Mick nodded. "Da chill one." At first, he couldn't fathom how that band would affect Leonard as it was geared for the speedster's powers, wouldn't work on anyone else. Taking in his friend's chilled body again, at least below the waist, understanding came forth. 

"He nailed yer ass," Mick's voice sounded awed even to his own ears. "Not sure what I think of anyone else nailing my ass, though." 

"Normally I wouldn't but he seemed eager to try something," Leonard sighed but Mick noted it wasn't out of annoyance. "The setting was at 20 and the damn kid figured out the proper ratio with his Speed Force to make it an _interesting experience_ for both of us." 

Mick couldn't hold back his laughter at his partner's predicament as he stepped out of his pants and shirt. He found that his natural body temperature was higher than most normal people so he figured to put himself to good use. 

"I'll get ya warmed up." Mick climbed onto the bed, draping his warm body over that of Leonard's chilled one. He hissed at the chilly contact but it was only moments before the body began to warm. 

He felt Leonard relax into the mattress again, heard the pleasurable exhale of breath. 

"How'd it feel?" Mick asked after a few minutes, really curious. 

"Well enough to consider it highly illegal," Leonard replied and Mick chuckled into his ear. 

He spotted the wrist band laying next to Leonard and picked it up. The setting was indeed at 20. Based on the temperature of the chill, that must be max setting, right? 

"How high dis thing go?" 

"Hmm," Leonard thought a moment. "Not sure. Last night I only went as high as 12 but this morning, Barry was testing the settings on his own and I damn well felt the 20 on both his cock and in his seed. Knowing Hart, it probably goes higher than that." 

"Mmm," Mick felt some more warmth between the crack as he lightly wiggled and pressed his own cock against the hole but not yet entering. "Never thought havin' an icy blast in yer ass would be good, unless yer a speedster. Dangerous, ain't it?" 

He felt Leonard wiggle a bit and his tip slipped right in, causing another hiss. "Damn, real icy inside." 

"If the walls hadn't been protected with his vibrational heat then yes, I'd be a solid block of ice down there." 

"Oh?" Mick slid in further as he took interest in that piece of information. "Yer sayin' Red is a fuckin' dildo?" 

Leonard groaned but Mick wasn't entirely sure if it was at his comment or how he had poked the prostate. He just grinned. 

"Didn't hurt, quite the opposite, in fact," Leonard revealed. 

"Mmm," Mick mused. "How many?" 

"Two. He was in the process of the third load when he realised the time and Panic Mode kicked in. Vibration stopped before he pulled out and I got the full ice blast. Only lasted a moment but was enough to numb me useless." 

"At least Red was good enough to drop you a cloth," Mick sniggered. 

"Oh, yes, grateful it was a warm cloth but I couldn't exactly reach it," the growl returned in the voice but it was of a soft annoyance tone. Mick felt the same way; they really couldn't be angry with Barry. 

"I got ya now, get ya fixed up," Mick promised and followed his words with action as he unleashed his first warm load into that chilled ass. Even though it was chilly, he found he really didn't mind entering Leonard after their speedster dumped a few loads. Leonard wasn't the type to trust anyone, always being careful, never letting anyone get this intimately close to him but he trusted Mick explicitly. Now, Mick thought with relief, his partner has allowed himself to show that kind of trust toward Barry. Playing with the speedster was one thing; having the speedster play with you was an entirely different ballgame. 

"Think we need to make some new ground rules," Leonard spoke into the silence. 

"Oh?" Mick thrusted slowly, letting his heat build up inside. "Only two dicks have access to your pretty li'l ass?" 

Leonard snorted. "Who says this is going to be a regular thing?" 

"Mmm, you seemed to like it, especially da vibration part," Mick chuckled again as Leonard sighed. 

"True, suppose I did." 

"Y'trust him?" Mick asked. 

Leonard nodded. "Yeah, apparently I do." "Hmm," Mick settled himself down on Leonard's back, fully buried in his ass. "That scares ya." 

"A little," Leonard sighed. "I do trust him, completely. As well as I do you, in fact. This is too new. Feels like dangerous territory according to my instincts but my mind is telling me that it's perfectly okay." 

"I get ya," Mick nuzzled the other's neck in the comforting way that they both adored. "What're ya thinkin'?" 

"Mmm," Leonard arched his neck for better access. "When using Hart's tech, make sure it's not right before a work shift." 

Mick laughed loudly. As good as his intentions are, Barry does have a habit of missing some crucial steps when his Panic Mode kicks in. Thankfully, both he and Leonard are used to the way their speedster functions and Mick really doesn't mind picking up after Barry, especially if it means this particular clean-up duty. 

For the rest of the morning, Mick did his duty well, even long after his partner was already back to normal body temperature, likely a bit higher. At one point he had to inquire, "Ain't dis bed a mite small?" 

Leonard, who had finally managed to roll onto his back, had laughed. "Says it's just the right size for him." 

Mick growled in amusement. "He would," he replied as he proceeded with making sure the entirety of Leonard's front was properly warmed up. 

Sure, the bed wasn't big enough for two full-sized males to lay side-by-side but Mick had to admit, he can't really complain as it was certainly cozy laying on top of Leonard. Mick definitely liked this. 

\----------------------------------------------

Mew! 

He tried to ignore the sound, having heard it several times in the past hour. However, that latest "mew" was right in his ear. He tried to swat whatever it was but only grazed his own ear. 

Mew? 

Mick cracked open an eye to see a quizzical eye staring into his. Sitting up so proper, fluffy tail around its legs, the kitten leaned over slightly and licked his nose. It was that close to Mick as it sat on Leonard's chest. 

Mick grunted and sat up, glaring down at the pesky feline. "Who the blazes let you in?" 

The kitten tilted its head and Mick could almost swear he saw it shrug its shoulders. It mewed again as it stood up and stretched its furry back. 

Mick took a moment to really take in the furball. Can't be more than a few weeks old, the kitten had a pale colour, like cream, but its markings were really what made it stand out. The ears were fiery red, paws and tip of the tail as well. He held out a finger and the kitten captured it in its mouth, released it, nuzzled, and batted a paw at the finger. It mewed happily. 

"Think you have a new fan," Leonard commented softly. Mick growled, annoyed, but something about this kitten intrigued him. 

"Din't know Red had a furball," Mick lightly scritched under the chin. 

"Doesn't. Must have snuck in last night when we came in." Leonard hadn't moved, not wanting to unsettle the kitten from its perch. 

Then something odd happened. 

The kitten sneezed and emitted a fireball that consumed Mick's finger. It shook its head and nuzzled the finger again. 

"Da hell?" Mick blinked. 

"You okay?" Leonard asked him, also startled. 

Holding his hand up, letting the kitten tackle the other one, Mick inspected his finger. No new burns, only the old scars from years past. 

"Huhn, feels fine. Only a bit of a tingly heat." Turning back to the kitten, he tapped it on the head, capturing its attention. "Do that again." 

The kitten looked up at him and mewed before focusing back on his hand. Both Mick and Leonard watched in amazement as the kitten let forth another fiery blast. 

"Tingly heat, like I says," Mick awed at the kitten. "Gonna be quite the fireball when it gets big." 

A loud mewl sounded in the distant and they watched as the little Fireball perked its ears and dashed out of the room. 

"I'll go see what's up, likely the furball's mum out there," Mick growled lightly as he pulled on his pants. 

Persistent mewing at the door caused him to chuckle. 

"Okay, okay, geezes, persistent li'l furball." 

Opening the door, he found a larger feline waiting patiently at the door. A darker cream colour than little Fireball but was quite clear to be the mum. Fireball mewed and nuzzled his mum, then directed her attention back to the big scary human. 

Well, Mick attempted to be intimidating as he glowered down at the two felines but he soon realised that little Fireball was introducing his mum to him, based on all the "conversation" of their mews and how the two of them were now nuzzling around his feet and lower legs. There was no possible way to be angry with the little intruder, not with that cheeky ballsy look in its eyes that dared anyone to challenge him in his conquest of his new human friend. 

"Oh! I thought there was someone out here." Mick heard the door across the hall open and saw an elderly lady step out. "Dear me, I hope my kitties haven't disturbed you." Mick shook his head but couldn't say anything as the lady kept right on talking. 

"Are you a friend of the boys? Or maybe a friend of that dashing one that came in last night?" She chuckled in amusement as she petted the mum. "This here is Scratches, she's been with me for many years. Just dropped her final litter last month. Most of the kits have been sent to good homes already but this li'l one," she scritched Fireball, "is mighty special and I plan to keep him with me and his mum. Come on in for a moment." 

Mick blinked as the lady turned back to her apartment, Scratches at her heels. Fireball mewed, waiting for him. He shrugged his shoulders and entered the apartment, careful not to step on the little firebug. 

What he saw was a tiny apartment but very nicely furnished with custom hand-crafted woods. Very tidy, clean, and smelled like incense of a nut flavour, possibly almond. He also saw two more kittens introduce themselves. One pure cream, the other a light brown, no special markings on them that he could see. They nuzzled him and their brother. Mick was astonished at the spark that appeared in Fireball's eyes and he had the sense that the little furball was quite protective. 

"That one has been protective of his brother and sister since they were born. The other three kits, well, they weren't cruel but they didn't seem to care about those two one single bit. Never laid a physical paw on them but I know ... it happens in humans all the time, it happens to our furry friends as well. Most people believe that cats don't have feelings, I call them idiots for not knowing any better." She huffed and puttered around the apartment. 

At her direction, Mick found himself lifting furniture while Mrs Cleary (he knew her name now), continued to ramble while sweeping, dusting, and rearranged the kitchen table. She also did some much needed cleaning behind the fridge. 

"The other three kits were adopted last week. I'm hanging onto these last two until I can be certain they are not traumatised by the emotional abuse. I want to make sure they find a home where they will be treated the respect they deserve, full of loving warmth. You can set that down now, deary." 

Mick settled the bookcase back into place again while Mrs Cleary put her cleaning supplies away. When she returned, Mick was holding on to a burnt piece of cloth he found near the water dishes. 

"Oh! That's nothing to worry about," Mrs Cleary chuckled. "Seems this one," indicating Fireball who peered up at her, "has a special little trait. Near scared me to death last week when I saw the cloth burning on the floor, and this little scamp had that guilty look, yet ever so remorseful. Stamped out the flames easily enough. However, things changed since. He took it upon himself to practice his flame on that piece of cloth, never anything else. He seemed quite intrigued by his new talent. The first few days, the flames burnt the cloth, could feel the heat, but it would never spread. These past few days, the flames changed. Well, they very much were the same, and gave off its normal heat, but the cloth no longer burned. The little scamp seemed to take joy in that fact and proceeded to display his newest talent all over the apartment. Fireballs spread all over but not a single item was burned, aside from a couple of spiders and beetles that snuck in. Those became mighty roasted." Mrs Cleary laughed at that memory. 

"Yer sayin' he can control his flames?" Mick inquired, quite fascinated. 

"Very much so, deary." Mrs Cleary beamed as Fireball snatched his precious cloth away. "Oh, his flames can still hurt, can burn like the dickens, but only if he's frightened or senses danger. He would never hurt me or anyone he deems worthy." 

Mick saw her nod at him with a pleasant smile on her face. He stood back up as Mrs Cleary disappeared back into the kitchen. 

He pondered for a moment what the sire was like. Was he also a fire breathing feline? Mick shook his head, he had never seen or heard of a fire breathing anything, except for on television, especially in fantasy shows containing dragons. But then, considering what Central City has been undergoing this past summer, a fire breathing kitten doesn't seem all that far-fetched now. 

Mrs Cleary stepped out with her jacket on and her purse slung over her shoulder. She held a package out to him which he accepted. 

"I got a meeting with the girls today to discuss the latest soap operas and books. You be sure to take that down to the department where the boys work." 

Before he could blink, Mick found himself ushered back into the hallway as Mrs Cleary locked her door and dashed off. 

"You boys have a great day, now!" 

Mick stood bewildered for a moment, not quite sure what just happened. The chuckle from their own doorway brought his scowly attention over to his partner. 

"Don't you start," Mick threatened him. 

"I didn't say a word," Leonard spoke lightly, very amused. 

Mick followed him back into the apartment and finished dressing. He was lacing up his boots when Leonard lifted the lid on the container and plucked out a cookie. "Delivery duty?" 

Mick grunted and snatched the container away. "Ya comin'?" 

Leonard shook his head. "Think I'll hang around here a bit. We found some unsanctioned surveillance equipment last night. I want to look around more and make note of any possible repairs that need to be done, make sure there isn't anything else lurking around." 

Mick nodded as that was a really good idea. "Check in with ya later." 

Shutting the door behind him, Mick turned toward the stairs only be to be stopped by that familiar mewling. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw Fireball standing outside of Mrs Cleary's door. 

"How'd ya get out?" 

Mew? 

Mick chuckled and went to Mrs Cleary's door, picked the lock and sent the little furball inside. "See ya later, Fireball." 

He saw the bright flicker in those feline eyes. He could swear the little furball had grown fond of him. 

Mick shook his head and laughed lightly as he locked the door, making sure it was locked, and headed down the stairs, while absentmindedly plucking out a cookie for himself. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing up at the clock, he cursed lightly when he saw it was almost 11:00. Still, he couldn't really be annoyed at Barry for being late; he was late himself this morning by four minutes. Not that it was his fault, mind you; the road had simply vanished due to some new Meta Human. Nobody had been hurt and the Meta was apprehanded quite easily by the regular police. Just another normal morning, except for the fact that he was late to work. 

Well, okay, being late to work has turned into a daily routine but it really wasn't his fault. Monday, he hadn't known he worked at the CCPD until he arrived. Tuesday it was definitely, entirely Barry's fault. Today was that Meta's fault. 

Hartley sighed and mentally kicked himself as his thoughts started behaving like those of his best friend; rambling chaos. 

Hitting the PRINT button on the last three pages of reports, he stood up from Barry's computer and placed all the evidence back into its small box. It was a minor crime scene from overnight and didn't take long at all to process everything. 

Just as he reached the printer, Hartley felt that all-too-familiar gust along with arms wrapping tightly around his waist. 

"Soon as we're done here, I'm gonna take you home and kill you, slowly, in at least a hundred different ways." 

Hartley felt himself shiver at those words and instinctively leaned back into the embrace. He really couldn't help it, he loves it when Barry attempts (and fails) to rattle him. 

"Mmm, as interesting as that sounds, do you even have enough mana to cast Resurrection one hundred times?" 

"For you, I have all the mana in Azeroth at my disposal." Barry nipped his earlobe which they both enjoyed very much. 

Maybe a little too much, Hartley thought, as he felt a roaming hand pop the button on his pants. Despite not wanting to, he had to a put a stop to this blatantly appealing behaviour, at least until he got to his desk and can keep an eye on the surveillance. 

"Barry, precinct?" 

"Mmm," Barry nipped a bruise into his neck. 

Hartley decided to change tactic in a half-hearted attempt to get Barry to back off. "Last night?" He instantly gasped as the speedster had pinched that one painful nipple, it hadn't settled into a normal state yet as it was only yesterday that one had been awakened. 

"Goooooooood," came the pleasurable reply. "Still gonna kill you. Think I'll let the guards at Orgrimaar have their way with you first, then maybe out to Silvermoon next." 

"What, no Thunder Bluff?" Hartley couldn't believe what his friend was suggesting ... wait ... okay, maybe it wasn't too far-fetched. 

"Hell no," Barry snapped at him. "You would enjoy Thunder Bluff way too much. All those Taurens running around half-naked ... not exactly my intention for you." 

"Honestly," Hartley sighed and failed to hold back a giggle. "I'll be sure to check the footage later." 

"You tapped my apartment?!" Barry appeared more surprised than Hartley expected him to be. 

"Of course I did. Only had a chance to install one camera and the bedside panel. I'll be installing more this week." 

"What bedside panel? There's a panel next to my bed?! Why didn't you tell me you installed equipment? Oh gods, what if someone saw any of that footage?!" 

Hartley still cannot fathom how dense his best friend could be. One really had to be patient with the speedster, which Hartley has an endless supply of. 

"Oh, relax. It's just equipment to help keep you safe ... hmm ... scratch that. It's to help us keep an eye on you when you're not back at our place. Besides, you were totally watching me as I installed the two pieces Monday." 

"Emphasis on watching you and not what you were doing," Barry growled directly into his ear which gave off a desirable sensation that made him really wish they could skip work today. 

His mind snapped into focus as he felt Barry's fingers tugging at his belt buckle. "Barry," he hissed. "Policy?" 

"Definite, not questionable." 

Okay, that was definitely good. Hartley laughed as he attempted to wiggle out of Barry's grasp but immediately froze as he sensed someone entering the Lab. 

"ALLEN!" 

"Eep!" 

Hartley felt Barry spin around which left him slightly off-balance. Catching himself on the printer machine in front of him, Hartley took a moment to straighten his pants. He could only imagine the panic plastered on Barry's face. 

He heard the Captain sigh but no more words came forth as Joe dashed in. 

"Barr, get your kit, already. We gotta move." 

Hartley had just finished straightening himself and turned in time to see Joe dash back down the stairs. He watched as Barry zipped around, found his kit, and dashed out after Joe. 

"Captain?" he inquired. 

"Bad scene on the West side," Captain Singh replied. 

He had to raise an eyebrow at that. "Why call us in? There's still a precinct over there, right?" 

The Captain snorted. "If you can call it that. The West Side CCPD has been attacked on a near monthly basis ever since that damn Accelerator exploded. Only a couple dozen works there now and they're all busy covering a string of burglaries along the Fast Food strip to the South West." 

The Captain shook his head before continuing, more softly. "Listen, majority of us need to get out there. My presence is especially necessary. It's a political scene, full of reporters and civilians running amuck messing up my crime scene." 

Hartley sighed, he had always hated the political scenes, whether they be bombings, shootings, or a protest turning into a violent one. 

"It's fine, Captain," he assured the other. "You go take care of the scene while I get things ready here." 

"I hate to leave you here," the Captain was clearly worried about him. 

"I know," Hartley spoke quietly. "Can't be helped. Go on, sooner you get there, sooner you get back. I'll be fine." 

The Captain sighed as he pulled out his cell phone and tapped out a text message. "Rob was going to stop by around Noon. I'll see if he can get here sooner." 

Hartley beamed at that. "Great!" 

"CAPTAIN! The whole precinct is in an uproar, what's going on?" 

Hartley froze at that voice and hadn't the foggiest as to why. 

"Jimmy!" Captain Singh barked out. "Where the hell have you been?" 

"Uh, family emergency out at ... " 

"Let's go, you're riding with me." Captain Singh grasped Jimmy's arm and forcefully hauled him out of the Lab and down the stairs. 

It was a few minutes before Hartley's breathing settled back to normal. He had no idea what just happened. It was only Jimmy that came in, the CSI guy that he met Monday. Sure, there were a couple of misunderstandings that day but everything was cleared up okay. He hadn't even seen the CSI since he and Barry left the precinct on Monday night. 

Well, no time to worry about his reaction towards the CSI, he has a crime scene to get ready for. That means making sure the machines and equipment were running smoothly, the tables cleared for the incoming boxes of evidence, the floor uncluttered. First thing he did was retrieve the reports from the printer and stashed them with the evidence box he had finished that morning, placing the box out of the way. 

Hartley felt the back of his eyes begin to itch as he straightened up the Lab. He was considering retrieving one of his cookies from his bag but that thought was quickly forgotten as his nostrils picked up something. He began feeling dizzy. 

"Ewwww, what stinks in here?" 

His vision was blurred but he picked out the voice near the door, where the scent was coming from. 

"Cal, get away from the door." Hartley's vision cleared for a moment as he headed toward the door, searching for whatever that scent was. 

"You don't look so good," Calvin's voice was full of concern as the kid reached out for him and dragged him further away from the door. 

Hartley rubbed his eyes trying to clear them again. He felt himself being settled down on the floor, leaning up against the printer. The air seemed better down there which he took full advantage of, taking in several deep breaths. 

"I'll go see what that is," Calvin commented as he stood up. 

Hartley grabbed him before the kid wandered back toward the door. "No, whatever it is, don't want you getting caught in it." 

"But ... " 

He angled Calvin toward his desk. "Green container in my bag." 

Calvin scurried off while he attempted to catch his breath again. The air near the floor was no longer quite so clear. He pondered for a moment how Calvin wasn't displaying any of the same symptoms he was but the thought trailed off as he was hauled up to his feet. 

"Hey, Cal, this is our lucky day!" 

"Huh?" Calvin sounded startled at the words. "Ethan, what are you doing up here?" 

"Orders," Ethan replied. 

Dizzy as he was, Hartley managed to step out of Ethan's grasp. "Kinda busy up here, Ethan. Can we talk later?" 

"Hmm, doesn't seem like you can manage to hold any sort of conversation for long," Ethan replied, grasping his arm again. "Doesn't seem like you can even keep an eye on your Lab, letting the newbie root through your bag like that." 

"Ethan!" Calvin growled as he came back over. "It's not like that. Give him over, you're hurting him." 

Which was true, Hartley thought, as he felt a sharp pain digging into his arm. "Ethan ... " he hissed as he tried to get away. 

"Oh, c'mon, Cal, stop worrying. He's fine." Ethan grabbed Hartley's chin and peered into his eyes. 

Hartley blinked as his vision cleared for a brief moment and saw the glint off of an all-too-familiar piece of steel. No! It can't be! All his weight instinctively went to his back as he pulled away, unphased by the long gashes in his arm. 

"ETHAN!" Calvin cried out and launched himself at the other. Hartley neatly caught the two packages that were flung through the air. 

He hadn't a chance to open one as Ethan knocked them out of his hand. He flinched as Calvin was pushed away and fell to the floor. 

"Trust me, this'll be more fun without those drugs you're taking," Ethan grabbed his shirt, pulling him forward as he hissed out those words. "Wouldn't the Captain be pleased when he sees I've taken care of the problem? That the Boss' Favourite is nothing but a junkie? Bet the whole precinct will be pleased to see you gone." 

"Ethan, that's not ... " 

Ethan punched him and Hartley felt the gash in his cheek from those dreadful steel claws. 

"Not what?" Ethan inquired. "Not the whole truth? Oh, don't you worry, I know way more about you than you can possibly imagine. I've a pretty good source, after all." The laughter left a chill running through Hartley's body. 

"Hey, Cal, you sure you don't want some of this?" 

He felt the panic attack rushing in as he heard his shirts torn open. 

"Ethan! Let him go, he can barely breathe!" 

"C'mon, Cal, nobody's around. Give me a moment to properly prepare him and you can dive in first. Trust me, you'll enjoy this." 

"ETHAN!" 

The anguish cry was the last coherent word Hartley heard as Ethan slammed a hand into his chest, the claws breaking through the skin. So painful, so familiar. He forced his muscles to relax as he knew what to expect next. 

He didn't have long to wait. 

For several long moments, electricity coursed through Hartley's body. He felt every joule, just like before. Just ... like ... before ... 

He fell into that comforting darkness before his body dropped to the floor. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

**Abduction Memory 2**

He had no idea how long he was out or how many of these new _reward_ sessions he had. He stopped keeping track after three; what was the point, anyway? It was the same, every single time. 

After that first jolt, they left him strapped to that table for hours before they came back in and jolted him again. This happened seven times (maybe eight?), the break in between jolts having random times. He estimated about three hours after the first, five hours after the second, two hours after the third ... he stopped keeping track after that. The fourth jolt onwards had been way stronger than the previous ones and it was during those times he gained his real reward, the comforting darkness where he felt no pain. 

After that first session, they locked him in a different room, one he hadn't been in before. It was much smaller than his own room, still no windows. The real noticeable difference was no mattress on the floor. Aside from the chains on the walls, the room was completely bare. And cold. Very, very cold. 

He had no idea how long he stayed in that room before they hauled him out for the second session. Much like the first, the Boss inserted that sweet liquid, followed by more jolts. He had no idea what that liquid was but it certainly had something to do with these sessions. Probably to make sure he doesn't roast to death while the electricity coursed through his body. 

He had difficulty forming any coherent thought after that second session. Only thing he remembered when he came to was the press of a body on top of him, a jolt of pain followed by warmth, a punch to the side of his head and the comforting darkness. That went on for a few days before the third session began. 

The beginning was the same, the liquid, strapping in, the first three jolts. It was when they came back in for the fourth jolt that things changed. The Boss was there. 

He was laying there, desperately trying to catch his breath, sweat pouring off of him. Something in that third jolt did something to a lung. He had no idea what except now he's having difficulty breathing. He barely felt Boss' claws dragging down his chest. 

"I do believe he's ready." 

Ready for what? He had no idea what the Boss meant and mentally kicked himself for caring. What did it matter anyway? The fourth jolt was about to happen, the jolt that always sends him to the darkness. He wanted them to stop wasting time and get on with it. 

"Hey Boss, he turned wimp on us." 

"Oh?" 

He felt hands on his face and a claw traced along the skin below his left eye. He felt the trickle and tasted the blood as it landed on his lips. 

A slap to his cheek caused him to open his eyes but he couldn't see too clearly as his vision was blurred by ... moisture? Ah. That explains the current attention to his face. 

"Pay it no mind," Boss declared as he dragged a claw twice more along the skin. "He won't be able to shed those again soon enough." 

A couple of the men sniggered as they removed the straps and replaced them with smaller ones. The old ones were standard size straps with buckles. The new ones were half-size in width, thinner, had metal rings at the ends for chains and there were more of these than there were of the larger straps. 

He listened to each chain as they were attached, felt every single one. The straps themselves were leather, but the chains themselves were metal. He felt them as they were tugged along side-by-side with the leather, threading through the rings on the sides of the wooden table. More chains were looped through his fingers before tying off at the rings attached to the straps at the wrists. 

What was also new was the fact that they tore the remains of his pants off. The previous sessions he got to keep his pants on, but no longer. He hissed as he felt the cold steel of those claws grip him and more chains wound tightly around him. 

He tuned out the sounds of the men's laughter as they prepared him for the next stage of the session. His body betrayed his wishes of not showing any reaction, he had a damn good reason to fear the next jolt, trussed up the way he was. As comforting as the darkness was, he feared he may not come out of it this time. But then, is that really so bad? They wouldn't be able to hurt him anymore after this. That sounded ... good. 

He calmed his breathing, the sweat cooled on his naked body which enhanced the sensation of both leather and metal strapped all over him. He let his muscles relax. Whatever happens, he's ready for it. 

"Mmm, that's a good boy," Boss spoke his devilishly sweet way and dragged his claws along his lips. He licked them out of habit. "Yes, so good and ready for what I have planned for you. This will be nothing like you've experienced before but it'll be so much worth it. Are you ready? You want this?" 

He didn't know why but he lifted his head slightly so he could better able suck a couple claws into his mouth. He didn't know why but those claws had something delicious on them. Minutes later, he caught and swallowed every drop before letting his head drop back down again. His head was immediately stabilised and a double chain stretched across his throat. 

"We're ready, Boss." 

"Mmm, one moment. He looks mighty tasty like this." 

He felt those claws again, dragging along his skin, hooking into and tugging the tight chains, with extra attentions to the ones attached to his nipples and his ... damnit ... he hissed as those claws dragged along his full erection. He soon felt himself entering a warm mouth and his own pre-cum flowed. 

"Get the fuck on with it!" he heard himself growl. He didn't regret it. 

"Fuckin' mouth on this brat," one of the men growled and jammed something down his throat, securing it tightly in place. 

He felt the bite on his erection before the mouth was removed. 

"No worries, the extra lubrication will prove beneficial. Soon, even his mouth won't be a problem." 

His vision was hazing again due to lack of air. He couldn't quite get enough in through his nostrils. He felt another trickle of his pre-cum but paid it no mind, not knowing that this would be the last time he would feel such things again. 

"Juice him." 

Those were the last words he heard before his body spasmed like never before. Every second he fought for that darkness but whatever they had him swallow prevented that. He felt every single joule of electricity course through every single inch of his body. He had never thought it possible but he could swear he felt every single cell in his body flicker and burn out. 

His body spasmed long after they cut the power, still sparking as each inch of his body short-circuited. He didn't know if they gave him more jolts after that fourth, he hadn't stopped feeling the fourth. 

Hours later, days, weeks, (months?), he felt his head lift and his eyes pried open. He could barely blink. He could barely hear anything at first until he recognised Boss' voice close to his ear. 

"Perfectly compliant. Won't have any more problems with you now, right?" 

He felt the pressure but couldn't feel the actual contact of wet tongue on his cheek. He couldn't feel any of the hands on his body but he knew they were there, they moved his head to make sure he saw them. He couldn't feel the rubbing, the hits, or anything. 

One of the men held up a leather strap to make sure he saw it, then swung it down on his thigh. He felt that, but only lightly. Several more whacks along his body proved the same result, only a light sting. A jolt stick was produced and he was shown it was at full power. He watched as it was swung in the air lightly, then slammed down into his balls. No reaction. He didn't even feel it. The jolt stick slammed into various parts of his body but he couldn't feel the electricity at all, only a slight pressure from where it struck his skin. 

"Nice," Boss said soothingly before addressing his men. "Have at him for three hours then toss him in with the cat until I need him in the morning. Got more accounts that need filling." 

He heard the men chuckle at that as they prepared themselves for the task at hand. Not that it really mattered, he couldn't feel any of them inside of him so what does it matter if he bled out? He couldn't even get away. His muscles felt dead and he had no voice. All he could do was lay there and let them have their way with him. Whatever they did to him, he couldn't even escape into that darkness. 

Right on time, the men finished with him and hauled him down to where that room was. If he couldn't find comfort in the darkness, this was the next best thing. Kishindo can keep him warm, if only he could feel the warmth from the other's body. 

He found he could only just lay there on the stone cold floor. He felt that chill, the only temperature he could feel. He heard the feline roam around but couldn't feel him. He knew where Kishindo was, can see him, hear him, but couldn't feel him. He needed his warmth but it was just out of reach. He felt dead on the outside and he was rapidly feeling dead on the inside. 

His last coherent thought before his mind numbed over completely was wishing his friend, his Kishindo, would put him out of his misery. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

"...AN!" 

"There, you see, Cal? He's perfectly compliant now." 

He gasped as he regained consciousness. His body broke into a cold sweat at having to hear those words again. He shuddered at the chill. 

He tried to kick but his attempts were batted away. 

"Geezes, hold him down, already, Cal," Ethan hissed and grasped at his pants. 

"Fuck you," Calvin ran out of the room. Hartley heard the kid stumble and hoped he was okay. 

"Fuckin' sissy," Ethan swore. "Y'd think the Captain would be smart enough to hire those with actual balls around here, right?" 

Hartley ignored him and lashed out another kick. Ethan caught the leg and shredded his pants, leaving a bloody gash in its wake. 

"Hmm, he wasn't kidding when he said you'd be handful." 

Hartley couldn't fathom who Ethan could be talking about. He was jolted out of his thoughts when Ethan grabbed his arms. 

"Shoulda done this first," he heard the other mumble as he felt his arms pulled behind him. 

"Ethan, stop!" Hartley felt the panic rise again as he desperately tried to knock Ethan off him. Unfortunately, his body was not yet fully back under his control. 

"Hmm? Why should I? Says in your file that you enjoy this kind of treatment." Ethan chuckled as he snapped on the first restraint. 

"Ethan!" Hartley tried again. "Seriously, you don't know what you're doing!" 

"Course I do," Ethan hummed in a pleasurable way that sounded much too sinister to Hartley's ears. 

His other wrist was snapped into place and his body slumped, all the energy having gone out of him. 

"Ah, that's the trick. I knew you loved being restrained." Ethan chuckled again and dragged his steel claws down Hartley's chest. He didn't feel the claws grip his balls or dig into the base of his penis; Hartley was much too busy trying to hold back the energies that threatened to come forth. 

"Now then, how about one more jolt of preparation before the real fun begins, hmm?" 

He couldn't scream, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't even lash out. He could only feel as some of his reawakened tissues sparked and shut down. He couldn't hold it back anymore, the dark energies. 

A moment before he succumbed to the darkness, he heard a roar and the weight ripped away from his spasming body. 

\----------------------------------------------

Standing outside of the precinct, Mick wondered how the hell he was supposed to deliver this fresh batch of cookies. He really didn't want to face Mrs Cleary's wrath for a job undone. 

He grunted and turned away, only to bump into a dapper looking fella. 

"Oh, hey, sorry, didn't mean to bump into you." the other said. "You here to see someone?" 

Mick scowled at him which didn't seem to phase the guy one single bit. 

"Oh! I know you. Mick, right? Friend of Leonard and Barry." The other reached for the container. "Let me guess, you were delivering this to Barry and Hartley right?" 

Mick nodded, letting the other take the container. 

"Ah, I see your predicament," the other chuckled. "Oh! I'm Rob. I met Leonard and Barry last night at the Steak House when David and I were there. David messaged me, some big crime scene on the West side, asked if I could pop in early. We were supposed to go ... " 

"Da hell?" Mick spat out as he dashed toward the building. Big Crime Scene always meant a practically empty building. He barely registered Rob following him. 

He saw a light-haired kid tumbling down the stairs and caught him before he reached the bottom. He shook the kid. 

"Ahhh, 'stairs, hurtin' 'immmm ... " 

Mick glared at the kid and shoved him over to Rob before dashing up the stairs two at a time. He felt instantly nauseated as he tore into the Lab, dark energies swirled around his friend and whoever the fuck that was. 

Primal instinct taking over, he roared and hurled himself at the attacker, knocking the asshole off of Hart. He punched him three times leaving the other quite dazed. 

"There's a holding cell downstairs," Rob's voice penetrated his wrath. 

Hauling the asshole up, Mick headed for the door. He did take a moment to see the kid toss a set of keys at Rob and the cuffs removed. He heard Hartley gasping which was good news. He also heard Rob speaking to Hartley in a comforting tone. 

Turning his attention back to the task at hand, Mick dragged the asshole down the stairs and right to the holding cell where he himself had been inside many times in the past. He had many fond memories of this cell and knew the secret it held in how to keep prisoners secure without having to need a key to lock the door. Shoving the prick inside, Mick slammed the door shut and gave that tricky little twist. For good measure, he found and slapped a padlock on the door. 

"Fucking asshole, let me out of here! Just wait until the Captain hears about this. They'll lock you up in the Heights until you're too old to break out!" 

Mick grinned his evil grin, the ranting words not phasing him a single bit. 

\----------------------------------------------

He heard comforting words, their soft tone. He shuddered as his body came out of its spasming. He heard a wrapper. 

Opening his eyes, Hartley was greeted with Rob's face hovering above him and immediately relaxed. 

"Oh, good, you're conscious! You had me worried. Geeze, the things David would do to me if he came back and ... well, never mind. Can you sit up?" 

Hartley grinned at how much Dr Rob sounded like Barry. He wondered if they may be related, distantly or something. 

He hissed and immediately flopped back down to the floor. 

"Oh geeze, I'm sorry. Let me check your ribs, the skin looks purple." 

While the Doc checked him over, Hartley glanced around and found Calvin. "Cal?" 

"Ah, right here. You okay?" Calvin sounded nervous and Hartley grinned up at him. 

"Yeah, I will be. Didn't mean to scare you," he hissed at a probe beneath his ribs on the right side. "Is that from the green?" 

"Oh!" Calvin opened the wrapper. "Yeah." 

"Good. Can you grab one from the yellow container? Break each one in half." He watched as the young Tech followed his instructions perfectly. 

"Okay, here you go," Calvin handed him the two pieces which Hartley promptly stuffed in his mouth. 

He immediately felt the last of the dark energies flicker away and closed his eyes. He felt each muscle relax. He felt Rob's probing hands and the coolness that entered each wound. He smiled as he felt something tug at his consciousness, something familiar yet not so familiar, something that he needed to tend to. 

"I'll be right back," were the words he spoke as his consciousness was pulled away. 

\----------------------------------------------

"We meet again, young Hartley." 

He turned and saw pure beauty. A slender female about his height, long brown hair with curls around the end, hazel eyes. If anyone could describe her, it would be as a Goddess. 

"Uh," he tried to remember who she is, what this place was and when he was here. 

"It's been a long time, almost five years. It's not surprising your memory is a bit fuzzy, especially with what has happened to you." 

He noted the sadness in that tone. 

"I'm fine," Hartley reassured her. "Came out of it alive." 

"Hmm," she stepped closer. "Let me have a look." 

Hartley stood still as those long fingers trailed softly along his skin. Green energies swirled around them both as she examined him. 

Minutes later, she stood back. "So much dark energies," she sighed. "However, I do see you are on the mend. I am pleased your mind has been cleansed and there are shielding in place to hold the darkness back." 

Hartley nodded. "Yes, Barry has been helping me a great deal. It's a slow process but he wanted to make sure each area is healed completely and fully strengthened. It's too much of a strain on my body to do too much in one session." 

"Good," she sounded pleased. "How are you feeling?" 

Hartley had to think about that for a moment and realised to what she was referring. 

"Better. Still a struggle, still some nightmares, panic attacks, the usual. However, they've become easier to deal with. I've got good friends looking out for me and making sure I come out of each attack intact. It's not just my body Barry is healing. With his daily presence, along with the others, I feel my mind improving, less dark and sinister. I'm being given tasks to help ease me back into normalcy, Mick is making sure my body gets all the proper nutrients which in turns boosts my mentality, Kyle helps keep the panic attacks to a minimum." Hartley paused for a moment, selecting his next words. 

"I feel safe. They provide the warmth and security I need, along with the healing of both my mind and body. My heart feels stronger as well. There have been many times I never thought I'd break free from the darkness but my friends make me feel alive, make me feel like life is worth living and that I'm an important part of their lives. These feelings I have for my friends, I don't ever want to be without." 

She beamed at him. "You have certainly come a long way, my dear Hartley. I had feared you may have broken beyond repair. It is fortunate you found Barry again and that you are in capable hands. Is there anything you wish to know at this time?" 

Hartley smiled fondly at the woman as every word seeped into his body full of warmth. He thought for a moment at her inquiry. 

"The dark energies that flowed out of me today, I feel like I released them before." 

She nodded. "Yes, the morning you woke up in Barry's bed." 

Yesterday. Hartley rubbed his eyes. "I thought something had happened but my memory felt like it was tampered with." 

"Is this something you wish to remember?" she asked. 

Hartley blinked at the question. Is it? "I don't know. Is it important?" 

"Depends on the one asking. Each person is different in what they deem important." 

Hartley sighed. "Of course," he decided to change the topic. "Will the dark energies emit from my body again?" 

"Uncertain." 

"Naturally it depends on circumstances," Hartley confirmed. "Just now, at the precinct, something was tackling my senses, a scent of some sort, rendering me senseless. That was followed by an attack and being restrained. It was right when I was restrained that the dark energies flowed out. What are those dark energies?" 

"Your mind has certainly improved, become much sharper," she smiled at him then frowned slightly. "As for the dark energies, they are those of the Dark Force, caused by such brutality over long periods of time. You have been abused far too much in your life, from the earliest memories of childhood, all through school and college, that horrible recent year, and even today. Not a single inch of your true self was spared." 

"Makes me wonder how I even made it through all that," Hartley spoke softly, reflecting on a few of those horrible memories. 

"The light of the Speed Force has been your guide these past five years. The energies of the Healing Force has been your protector since the day of your birth. Neither shall ever part from you, even in the darkest of times." 

Hartley felt relieved by those words. "That's good to know. Thank you." 

She beamed at him again. "You are most welcome, my special Hartley. Is there anything else you wish to know before I send you back?" 

Hartley thought for a moment then shook his head. "No, I'm good for now. I'm in good hands down there." 

"Very well. If ever you need assistance with your memory, you only need to tap into the one containing the energies of the Time Force. Anytime you feel your mind faltering or you feel lost, you have regained the energy to come back here. We value you very much, young Hartley. We would love to speak again with you. On your next visit, I shall assist with helping you regain your lost voice." 

What? Hartley didn't know what she meant by "lost voice". Before he could inquire, he was wrapped in swirling green energies and his consciousness drifted back down to his body. 

\----------------------------------------------

Zipping back into the car, Barry took a moment to straighten himself out. He had just clicked his seatbelt back into place when Joe pulled them up to the crime scene. 

"Find out anything?" Joe inquired before shutting the engine off. 

Barry sighed. "Too many political idiots mucking about the Captain's crime scene." 

Joe failed miserably at holding back his laughter as Barry had sounded just like Captain Singh with that comment. 

"What? It's true!" Barry hopped out of the car, retrieving his kit from the backseat. "Seriously, it'll be a miracle if any of us finds any sort of usable evidence. Scene was a complete mess by the time we got called in. Where's the West crew already?!" 

"Doing our job by actually arriving here on time, Allen." 

Barry paled at that tone as he whipped around. "Uh, Kaplan, hi? Good to see you again?" 

"I'm sure," Kaplan glowered at him. 

"Okay, uh, I'm just gonna go over there and do something work related," Barry scurried off to where he saw one of his fellow CSIs. 

"Oh, hey, Barry! About time you showed up," Gagne grinned up at him while he ziplocked some dirt. 

"Blame Joe, he was driving," Barry grinned back. He had always liked the senior CSI. 

"Ah, the good ol' 40 in a 65 zone excuse, right?" Gagne laughed. 

"I swear he needs a new car," Barry agreed. "What's happening?" 

Gagne sighed and turned more serious. "Nothing, just noise noise noise. They're louder than a flock of Geese migrating down from Canada." 

Barry did indeed notice the flock of hens cackling a mile a second off to the side. "No roosters?" 

Gagne shook his head. "Only ones with actual balls to show up are us and the two dickwads from the West, although I highly doubt they have any." 

"Both of them are here?!" Barry squeaked out. He didn't like that news, not one single bit. He felt mighty glad that Hartley stayed behind. 

He suddenly caught a glimpse of Cartel heading their way. "Eep, you didn't see me." 

Barry zipped away to the far side of the crime scene where he thought he saw some unusual markings on the side of the crumbling building when he scanned the area minutes ago. Taking a look back at Gagne, he saw that Cartel had reached him. He couldn't hear them from this far away but noticed, happily, that Gagne had shook his head with a shrug of his shoulders. He could always trust the elder CSI. 

Barry didn't see anything on the ground in the surrounding area but he did take lots of pictures of everything, anyway, especially of the clawed markings. Upon further inspection, that's exactly what the markings looked like, as if a massive claw raked along the wood. He sighed. He didn't know of any other Meta Humans out there that are half animal, the only ones he knew of were already locked up, like King Shark. 

Has to be some new Meta Beast they haven't discovered yet. 

Hauling out his cell phone, Barry snapped some images and sent them over to Cisco, along with the location of where he found them. They can check out the marks some more later. 

"Some mess, huh? I swear we'll be damn lucky if we manage to scrape up any sort of usable evidence." 

Barry spun around at the voice. "Jimmy! Don't sneak up on me like that." 

"Oh, come on, Barry, you always know when I'm around." Jimmy grinned at him. "Admit it, you like having me around." 

Barry chose to ignore that comment and focused on the previous one instead. "The reporters and civilians did a number on the scene. Highly doubt we'll find much of anything." 

"Seems like a protest." Jimmy commented. "Reporters are eating up whatever the Head Hen is cackling about." 

"Huh," Barry puzzled over that. "Protest for what?" 

Jimmy pulled a flyer out of his pocket. "Hmm, says here it was a protest regarding how run-down the West side is getting due to the lack of police enforcement." He shoved the paper back in his pocket before continuing. "Seems there was some homeless shelter here and a place for them to get free food. Whatever happened here destroyed the buildings. All that's left is the crumbling piece that Grizzly left its mark on." 

Barry groaned. "That's the very reason we're here, Jimmy. There's barely anyone at the West side precinct. No wonder the Captain was summoned here." 

He glanced around and found Captain Singh standing with Joe and Kaplan as they spoke to a camera crew. Barry sighed and turned back to the wall. 

"Must have been a pretty big Grizzly," he commented as he inspected each claw mark, searching for anything that he could bring in. 

"We both know this ain't no ordinary Grizzly, Barry. It's a Meta Beast." Jimmy spoke casually but Barry still startled at the words. 

"Meta what now?" Barry accidently dropped the bag he had inserted a piece of wood clipping into. 

"Oh, come on, Barry. You know all about them Beasts roaming around the City. What, you hit your head and lose your memory after each attack? Geeze, it's a wonder you even make it in to work." Jimmy shook his head, clearly exasperated with him. 

Barry blinked as he couldn't see how Jimmy could possibly know about the Meta Beasts. Come to think of it, Jimmy seemed to know a lot about things that he really shouldn't. 

He was about to retrieve his dropped bag when Jimmy stepped on it. 

"Leave it, grab another sample." 

"Uh, sure?" Not really thinking anything of the dropped bag, his mind having shifted focus to Meta Beasts, Barry turned back around to gain more samples. He didn't notice when Jimmy pocketed the dropped bag. 

Sealing the two new bags and pocketing them, Barry attempted to turn around but found he couldn't. Jimmy had stepped closer without him realising it, blocking his movements. Another step and Jimmy had pressed up against him. 

"Ji ... " 

Jimmy sniffed him. "You smell heated." 

Barry turned and forced his way past him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" 

"Nothing, I should be asking you that question. You really do look unwell. Fever or something?" Jimmy tilted his head as he stared at Barry. 

"Uh," Barry blinked. "No, nothing, I'm fine. No fever. Really!" 

Jimmy sighed. "Barry, it's only me. You can trust me. You really don't need to keep lying." 

"But I'm ... " Barry began to protest but Jimmy cut him off and draped an arm across his shoulders. 

"Shh, I know you believe it's a sign of weakness when you show any sort of vulnerability. I get it, I really do. Just this one time, let me help you feel better, okay?" 

Jimmy spoke in that infuriating, sweet tone as if Barry were a child. He tried to step away from the other CSI but found he couldn't, again. 

"Jimmy, I'm fine. Really. We should keep scanning the area, do our jobs, you know?" Barry knew his words fell on deaf ears as he was led to a secluded area just outside the crime scene. He couldn't see anyone from here. 

"Jimmy, we can't be ... " 

"Hush," Jimmy silenced him with a finger pressed to Barry's lips. "This will only take a moment, but I imagine for you, it'll feel like a lifetime." 

Barry paled at those words, at how Jimmy laughed darkly. He tried to get away but found he couldn't move. He opened his mouth to say something but found he couldn't utter a word. 

"Handy gadget this thing is," Jimmy spoke as he held up some device. "Seems to render humans and Meta Humans paralysed, unable to tap into their real potential. Picked this up from some abandoned warehouse here on the West side a few months back. Lots of gadgets were left behind, along with a lot of dead bodies. Quite gruesome, I assure you. The most interesting thing I found was this huge tiger limping around with its chain broken. Someone had shot a bullet at just the right angle for the chain to snap. Anyway, that's a story for another time." 

Realisation struck Barry at what Jimmy was referring to. That had to be the place that ... 

His thought trailed off as he felt something sharp prick his skin followed by Jimmy's hand rubbing that same spot. 

"Nothing to worry about, Barry. Just a little something to make you forget about your illness. You'll start feeling better in a moment." 

Well, that was easy enough, Barry thought. Easy to forget about an illness he never even had. 

He closed his eyes and took a moment to breathe. He tried to tap into the Speed Force but found nothing. Whatever Jimmy had done ... whatever it is ... Blast! Barry inwardly seethed as he felt his memory falter. He felt dizzy. 

Barry heard the sound of heavy fluttering, like wings or something, but paid it no mind as he was about to fall to the ground. Strong hands, claws (talons?) caught his arms and pulled him upright, pressing him tightly to whatever that huge chest belong to. His vision grew hazy, he couldn't make out what held him. Something big, tall. 

"Easy there, Barry. The dizziness will pass. Relax and breathe." 

He tried to relax, tried to breathe, but Barry found he couldn't do either as ... as ... blast his memory! Whoever it was, he was popping shirt buttons. HIS shirt buttons. This was one of Barry's good shirts. He liked the style of those buttons. If the bastard hurt any of those buttons, he'll ... he'll ... 

Barry gasped as the claws dug deeper into his arms. He tried to kick but couldn't feel his legs. He heard a tear and felt cool air hit his chest. Despite it still being Summer, today just had to be the one random cold day of the season. He really felt the chill. 

"Mmm, very nice. I have always wondered how you would react in cooler weather." 

Barry blinked, trying to clear his vision, and found his mind screaming at him that he needed to get away. Something about not wanting anyone other than ... than ... someone running their hands on him. His mind blinked out as he succumbed to the strange feelings taking over his body. He shuddered. 

"Good, you're finally behaving nicely. Hadn't expected it to take this long though. You're definitely a unique case. I can see why the Boss is interested in you." 

It's true ... whatever was happening, it felt like an excruciatingly long time to him. Time seemed to have slowed down as each press of a finger was slow and strong, dragging along every inch of exposed skin and threatened to tear through more fabric. Enhanced feelings, tingling, his skin rippled. 

He lifted his head to glare at the other but it was taken as an invitation of sorts. 

"Ah, you want what I have for you, hmm? I suppose I can pop in the first one now." 

He tried to bite the other but his head was shoved back into that broad chest, tilted slightly upwards. He felt lips on his and something dropped down the back of his throat. It was so tiny, swallowing was not required. The other hadn't moved away, instead continuing to kiss him until he was nearly unconscious from lack of air. 

"I have wanted to kiss you since the day we met at the precinct," the other said. "Unfortunately, I have my orders. I can't afford to do too much yet. Soon, though, soon. When that time comes, you'll ... " 

The words trailed off as Barry heard a loud roar from behind them. He paid it no mind as his body had started to move again, although uncontrollably. His arms hurt, his chest hurt, he struggled to breathe. Something hissed behind him and he felt himself thrown to the ground. Something inside him was burning. The ground was shaking and making him hurt all over. He heard cursing, another roar, a squawk, beating of air ... nothing made sense as he fell unconscious. 

\----------------------------------------------

" ... RY!" 

He blinked as his eyes popped open, trying to clear his vision. He knew that voice, right? 

"BARRY! Wake up!" 

Ah. He must have overslept. He closed his eyes and drifted off again. 

He saw the precinct in his mind, or maybe he was there. Who knows. However he got to be there, he didn't like what he saw. Swirling dark energies surrounded the building. He knew those energies, very well. He's seen them before. How? Where? When has he seen them? What do they mean? 

He felt a bump which jolted him awake. "Bump!" 

"BARRY! Don't you dare scare me like that. Again!" 

"Wha?" he glanced around, his mind taking its sweet time in catching him up to speed with what the hell was going on. He winced as he felt a pain in his left side. 

"Getting you to STAR Labs," Joe told him. 

Ah, yes, Joe's car. 

"Where?" Barry rubbed his eyes. 

"STAR Labs, taking you there now." 

Barry felt like he should be somewhere else, right now, not STAR Labs. "No." 

"Yes, I am. STAR Labs!" 

"Elsewhere," he heard himself say. Where though? "Argh!" 

The car screeched to a halt. "Barry! What is it? What's wrong?" 

"Something ... gotta do ... someplace." He shut his eyes and struggled to concentrate. His mind still felt muddled. Something happened, he just had no memory of what. 

"Barry?" 

"Sec," Barry shifted his focus to his breathing. In, out, a few more times ... it's nearly upon him. He could just barely grasp it ... a little bit more ... there! 

Barry felt his body shudder and heard the sound of his own sparks. He snapped his eyes open, vision now perfectly clear. 

"Where?" he glanced around. 

"In my car," Joe sighed in relief. "Taking you to STAR Labs. Mind telling me what happened back there?" The car started down the road again. 

Barry shook his head. "No memory. Figure it out later." 

"Okay then. We'll get you checked over first then work on your memory later." 

"Where?" Barry asked again, not quite getting something. 

Joe glanced over at him. "STAR Labs." 

"No," Barry shook his head. 

Joe growled in frustration. "Damnit, Barry. Something happened back there and you're acting way weird. Anytime you start acting weirder than usual, it's standard procedure to haul your ass off to STAR Labs! We're going to STAR Labs, end of discussion." 

Barry sighed and closed his eyes again. He immediately saw the dark energies in his mind. Suddenly, everything made sense. 

"HART!" Barry snapped his eyes open, his entire body sparking the colours of his precious Speed Force. He left a bewildered Joe behind as he zipped out of the car and straight to the precinct. Hartley would know what to do. 

A moment later, which still felt way too long to Barry, he found the one he sought. He saw Rob helping an unsteady Hartley to his feet. Being mindful not to knock Rob off his feet, Barry zipped over and wrapped himself around his friend. 

"You're okay! I saw ... I saw ... you're okay!" Barry couldn't quite find the words as his mind still felt quite fuzzy. 

He felt his Hart hold him tightly and Barry felt himself relax. Maybe a little too much as he tilted forward and lost consciousness again. 

\----------------------------------------------

Hartley was feeling much better, strength returning with every passing second. Rob helped him to his feet and held on until Hart had better control of his balance. He no longer felt dizzy but it was still taking a few moments for his muscles to respond to his wishes again. 

"I'm good," he told Rob but couldn't say anything else as he felt Barry meld into his back, wrapping arms around him. 

"Barry, what's wrong?" Hartley paid no mind to his friend's rambling as he immediately sensed that something bad had happened. A moment later, Barry's full weight fell on him and he knew that something was definitely wrong. 

"Cal, lock the door." 

Hartley heard the young tech dash to the door while he laid Barry down on the floor with Rob's help. He paled at all the gashes and bruises splattered over his chest and arms. 

"He's not healing," he mumbled as he tapped into his own Healing Force so as to scan Barry. 

He immediately saw the blue energy lines all through Barry's body. He noticed a flickering line and traced a finger along it, sending healing energies into it, stabilising the line. 

"Below the ribs, left side." 

Hartley blinked. "Cal, you can see this?" He scanned over to the indicated area and saw what shouldn't be there. 

"No," Calvin replied. "I can hear it. Some sort of emitter. Not sounds but more like pulse waves." 

"Huh," he certainly wasn't expecting this sort of revelation today. 

"Heh, I've got good hearing," Calvin sounded pleased then grew more concerned. "Will he be okay?" 

Hartley left a mark on Barry's skin and shifted over a bit. "Yeah, he will be. Rob? Need an incision right there, two inches wide. Don't worry about him bleeding out." 

"Got it," the Doc replied and set to work. A moment later, Rob made the required incision and paused. 

"Hold steady," Hartley told him then thrusted two fingers into the spouting cut. Two inches deep, he finally felt the object and pulled it out. He slapped his left hand over the wound and let his green energies flow into his friend. 

Calvin immediately plucked the item out of his hand. "As I thought, transmitter of some sort. The pulsing kind. Meant to alter the area by waves. Inside a body, this one's powerful enough to make blood vessels ripple and disrupt their flow, can make organs shudder." 

Hartley felt himself shudder at that information. 

"Who the blazes would want to insert THAT into Barry's body?!" Rob growled as he dabbed at the gashes in Barry's arms. 

"Calvin, can you see ... " 

"Where this is transmitting from? It's make and model? Figure out where it came from and possibly who the bastard is?" Calvin thought for a moment and nodded. "Can do. Well, figuring out who the bastard is might be the tricky part but I can certainly back trace this thing." 

Calvin headed back toward the door but Hartley stopped him. 

"Cal, a moment." 

"Hmm? What's on your mind?" Calvin waited patiently. 

Seeing that Barry had begun to spark, Hartley stood up and wiped his hands before turning back to Calvin. 

"I don't want anyone else to know what you have there. If word gets out ... " 

Calvin nodded as he interrupted. "I getcha. Someone's being a right bastard to you guys and it's best to keep this between us. No telling who it could be." 

Hartley beamed at how perceptive Calvin was. "Right. Anyone asks ... " 

"Captain's orders, got it. Don't worry, I can handle this." Calvin grinned at him. 

"Oh, one more thing ... " 

"I know, I know," Calvin assured him. "I can't reveal anything if I know nothing. Besides, everyone already knows Barry is an oddball, but in a good way." 

Hartley blinked at how calmly Calvin was taking everything, how accepting Calvin was, and how Calvin was already feeling protective towards them. 

"Cal?" 

"Hmm?" 

What could he possibly say to the young tech? "Thank you." 

Calvin beamed at him and left the Lab. Hartley couldn't be certain but he thought he saw a faint flicker of energy in those violet eyes. 

"Gaaaaah!" 

He turned as Barry sat up, seeing the panic in those pretty green eyes. 

"Wha, where, who ... you!" 

Hartley had to giggle as Barry found him and bounced up to his feet, latching on to him again. He felt the Speed Force flow through them both, healing up the rest of the injuries. He held his speedster tightly, knowing that they needed each other right that moment, even if the reasons were not clearly known. 

He vaguely recalled a Policy as he felt Barry nuzzle into the side of his neck. He may have also forgotten that Rob was still in the Lab. Only thing that mattered was that he was okay and Barry was okay. More than okay. They were both way okay. 

Hartley mentally kicked himself again at his Barryish type thoughts. He giggled again at a roaming hand. 

\----------------------------------------------

David Singh, Captain of the CCPD Main Branch, took a moment to collect himself. The rest of his squad filed back into the building as he reflected back on the crime scene. 

It had all the markings of a Meta Beast attack. Unfortunately, that band of protestors turned it into a political scene, claiming it was the fault of the CCPD that parts of the City were turning to ruin. One mouthy bi...lady had even accused _him_ of ordering the fires during the summer. 

Then there was that deafening roar. When he had turned toward the noise, all he saw was two large shadows dashing off, one of them taking flight. When he got over to where they were, Allen was passed out on the ground. He had no idea what happened but whatever those Beasts were, it was quite clear they had hurt his CSI. 

It wasn't until Gagne was helping Joe load Allen into the car that David saw all the injuries. He had felt nauseated at seeing the long gashes as he had rarely ever seen Allen displaying such gruesome injuries. Something bad happened at _his_ crime scene, on _his_ watch, and it angers him a great deal that he had absolutely no idea what happened. 

David sighed as he entered his precinct. He really didn't care for these big crime scenes at all. Something always managed to go wrong. 

"CAPTAIN! Get me out of here!!!" 

He put on his scowly face as he turned toward the voice, which was coming from the holding cell. 

"Ethan! What the blazes are you doing in there?!" David stopped short as he saw the pyro Mick Rory standing in front of the cell. He noticed the heated fury in those eyes, the tense muscles, how the other glared at Ethan in a deadly predatory way. 

He shuddered and turned his gaze to Ethan. The second year officer was disheveled but appeared uninjured aside from the darkening bruise on the left side of his face. He did notice some blood splatters on the clothing. 

"This maniac entered our precinct and he attacked me! For no reason!!!" Ethan continued whining but David paid him no mind. He sighed again, really hating big crime scene days. 

"ETHAN!" David growled, cutting off the whining. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why you're in there and believe me, once I go over the security footage, I will deal with you accordingly." He inwardly grinned at the horror that appeared in the youngster's eyes, but remained outwardly cool. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw majority of the precinct pause to witness his fury. Good, let them. Especially all the younglings who don't yet know the way of things around here. 

He raised his voice a notch as he continued, making sure everyone heard. "I take great pride in _my_ precinct, I run a tight ship around here. If I find out that you, or anyone else here, has been abusing your privileges, ignoring my policies, endangering the lives of your fellow employees, then you can kiss your damn career goodbye and tossed into the Heights under the watchful eye of the Wolfe." 

David noticed many of his long-time crew nodding their heads, some grinning, while some of the younger ones had paled and shifted uncomfortably. 

"But ... but ... Captain. This maniac is a ... " 

"Shut it, Ethan! You mouth off about this one again and I will personally make sure Rory burns the skin off your fingers." David turned to the rest of the crew. "That goes for the rest of you. Leave the past in the past. Anyone lash out at Rory will find themselves on a one-week suspension. Is that clear?" 

David did grin his scary grin as he received confirmation from his crew. Inwardly, his stomach knotted in fear as to what he's likely to find. Before he could turn to the stairs, his CSIs finally arrived. 

"Cap! Shall we take these upstairs?" Jimmy was carrying two boxes, Gagne behind him with another box along with both of their kits. 

David shook his head. "No, take them to your own Lab. The upstairs Lab is out of commission for now, and I don't want anyone going up there. Clear?" He directed that last comment to the entire precinct and immediately got his confirmations. 

"You sure?" Jimmy asked. "Want me to run up there and take a ... " 

Gagne pushed Jimmy in the direction leading to their own Lab. "Let's get these taken care of, Jimmy. I want to get out of here at a decent time tonight." 

David glowered at Jimmy's back, wondering where the hell the CSI had disappeared to during the crime scene. Gagne glanced back at him and nodded, sharing a knowing look. David nodded back, knowing the senior CSI will keep Jimmy busy for the next few hours. 

"Rest of you might want to get back to work?" he barked out at the rest of his crew and watched them all scramble back into action. Turning back to Mick, he spoke more softly. "Keep an eye on him. I'm going upstairs." 

Mick grunted and sharpened his grin. 

David momentarily wondered how he came to start trusting criminals. He shook off that trail of thought as he headed for the stairs, barely taking notice of Calvin coming down. 

Entering the Lab, David partially found what he expected to see. Rob was putting his kit back in order again, a pile of bloody cloths beside him. Hartley was there but appeared to be okay. What David hadn't expected to see was Allen standing behind Hartley, unmoving. 

Letting out an amused sigh, David approached the pair, quietly, so as not to startle them. He immediately noticed the gash in Hartley's arm, which David held up and inspected. He fingered the injury lightly, amazed at how he can actually see the arm healing. 

"I'm fine," Hartley spoke softly. "Another few hours and there won't even be a scar." 

David shook his head as he took in the rest of his friend's appearance. He growled in frustration knowing that there really wasn't much he could have done. He changed his focus to Allen. "Is he okay?" 

Hartley grinned. "Yeah, he's borderline conscious. He'll be fine." David heard the tone grow more serious as Hart asked, "What happened out there?" 

"Two Meta Beasts appeared but they were a distance away. Didn't get a good look as they fled before I got there. He was in bad shape." David indicated Allen and sighed. "They may have attacked him, or maybe one of them did while the other drove it away, I don't know." 

"But?" 

That's the thing with Hartley, he always knew when David didn't accept a likely explanation. "My gut is telling me that something happened before those Beasts showed up." 

"Hmm," was all Hartley said and David had the suspicion that the other may already have an idea about what went down. Whatever it was, David will find out eventually. There are more immediate matters to attend to. 

He stepped back and put himself back into his Captain mode. 

"ALLEN!" 

"Who? What? Huh? Where? Didn't do it! Innocent, being framed! Didn't touch him, I swear!!!!" 

David watched in amusement as Allen flustered, coming back to full consciousness. He would never admit it, but David has always thought highly, and quite fondly, of Allen all these years. 

"I swear, the moment I turn my back ... " David began but was interrupted as Allen tripped over nothing and fell on the floor. 

"That's it," David growled. "I want the two of you to get fully checked out then home to bed. You're to remain there for the rest of the damn week!" 

He wasn't thinking, he completely forgot who he was talking to and immediately regretted those words the moment he said them. He ignored Hart's blinking eyes, and whatever expression that appeared on Allen's face. 

Inwardly groaning, David spun on his heel and headed to the door. "Get the fuck out of my precinct!" He barked at them, quite fondly indeed. 

Downstairs, with Rob on his heels, David saw Joe enter the building, heading their way. 

"CAP! Everything okay?" the Detective inquired. 

David nodded at his old friend. Joe was practically his right-hand-man and trusted him explicitly. "Yes. They'll be down in a moment. Can I get you to take them home? I also would like to get them checked out." 

Joe exhaled in relief. "Of course. I'll get them to their Doc even if I gotta threaten them." 

"Good," David grinned at his friend. Another thought entered his mind as they approached the holding cell. "Can you take this one with you? Seems some of our crew is feeling skittish." 

"Hmm," Joe glared at the pyro, then at Ethan. "What about him?" 

"Seconds away from expulsion," David spat out. "Gods, the paperwork he just caused me." 

He turned as the boys came down the stairs in fresh shirts with their bags slung over their shoulders. Aside from Allen's usual disheveled appearance, nobody would believe that either of them had just gone through near-death situations. 

"Get them out of here, West," David barked at the Detective. "I don't want to see them until Monday." 

He let his muscles relax as he watched Joe usher the two youngsters out of the precinct, with the pyro hot on their heels. He rolled his eyes at the trail of cookie crumbs left in Allen's wake. 

"We need to talk." Rob broke the silence a few moments later. David had a good idea what Rob wanted to discuss and led his fiancé to his office. 

Shutting the door, David dropped heavily into his chair and rubbed his eyes. "I hate these big crime scenes." 

Rob leaned against the desk and grasped his hands, kneading softly into the back of them. "I know. What'll happen to the kid in the cell?" 

David growled. "Unlike the last time, I'm going to make damn sure that Ethan is expelled and stripped of all his credentials. He'll never work in law enforcement again." 

"This is going to be a tricky case," Rob informed him. "We both know what's going to be on the security footage." 

"I know," David sighed. "Not one for the media or public to know about. This will need to be handled by the ... other ... court." 

A tap sounded on the door and Calvin immediately entered, locking the door behind him. 

"Calvin?" David raised an eyebrow at the kid. "We're kind of ... " 

"Busy, I know, Captain," the youngster interrupted. "This won't take long but I assure you, it's quite important." 

Rob straightened up and turned toward Calvin. David leaned forward with his arms on his desk. "Go on." 

"First up, they'll be okay?" 

David saw the pure concern in those eyes. "Yes. They have their own private physician to check them over and they're taking the rest of the week off. I assure you, they'll be back to normal by Monday." 

Calvin giggled at that last comment and David didn't hold back his groan at his poor phrasing. There really isn't anything _normal_ about Barry and Hartley. 

"I'm glad," Calvin grinned, then turned more serious. "I'm not really sure where to begin," he hesitated. 

David sensed there were a few things Calvin needed to say so he helped to guide the youngster's thoughts. "You can start with telling me about what happened up there? I want to hear your version before I watch the security footage." 

He expected panic and a stuttering mess of words, not a pleased nod with an expression that practically radiated relief. 

"Of course," Calvin began. "It pleases me to know that there are security equipment up in their Lab. Hartley seems like the kind of guy that keeps a close eye on his possessions, doesn't like anyone tampering with his workspace or belongings. It's good knowing you authorised the extra surveillance." 

David leaned back in his chair as he gave the young tech his full attention. Calvin wasn't displaying any of his clumsiness or mangling of words, he was in full serious mode. Much like Allen during Court sessions and when he's required to relate his findings. Interesting. 

"I had gone up to check on Hartley. Building was practically empty and I didn't have any current assignments, so I thought I'd head upstairs for a bit. Honestly, it gets a bit creepy around here. Upon entering the Lab, I noticed he wasn't doing so well. There was some sort of weird smell that he took a nasty reaction to. It wasn't affecting me aside from smelling really bad." Calvin paused for a moment. "Ethan came up and started harassing him. I tried to get him to leave but, I dunno, I panicked when he revealed his intentions. I ... " he swallowed tightly and shook his head. 

"Take your time, Calvin," David told him. He watched patiently as the youngster settled his breathing. 

"I had a pretty good life, I went through the Academy," Calvin spoke quietly. "I had never once seen such a display like ... that ... so close to me before. I froze. How Ethan could do that ... " Calvin suddenly took notice of his bleeding hand as he uncurled his fingers. "When I regained control of my senses, I fled. I couldn't do anything myself but I thought I could find some of the others and bring them up. Bigger numbers, y'know?" 

David nodded. 

Rob picked up the tale right there. "That was right when we arrived. Calvin practically fell right into Mick as he tumbled down the stairs. Mick tore up the stairs and knocked Ethan off of Hartley. I told Mick to take him to the holding cell." 

"He didn't look good," Calvin continued. "I never saw such ... " he shuddered from the memory. 

"That's fine, Calvin," David told him in a rare soothing tone. "You did what you could, you did the right thing." 

"I know," Calvin sighed. "I just can't believe anyone would do such a thing. I know about that Policy, I know how majority of the crew here stand by it so seriously, but Ethan, when he was informed about it, he laughed. Saying that there's no possible way such an absurd, made-up policy could exist." 

This was news to David. Calvin must have noticed his interest in this information as he remained on that path for another few moments. 

"I know I'm new here, just hit my two month mark, but I have heard a lot." Calvin paused to collect his thoughts. "I heard the stories from the senior guys, what went down a few years ago, along with a wide variety of more stories since then, a lot of light-hearted stories in the mix. I know how the office pools began, I know who they admire, I know who they are cautious around, I know who's having marital problems and who has kids growing up way too fast. I see how some of the senior staff interact with one another, very close in that trusting way, always knows who has their six, count on one another both on and off the streets. That kind of loyalty and trust are years in the making and I find myself constantly in awe of them all." 

David had to give Calvin a lot of credit for understanding the way of things around his precinct, way more than all the other young recruits from the past two years combined. 

Calvin smiled at some memories before he continued. "I know this is the most serious precinct I have ever been inside but it's also the best precinct that I'm proud to be a part of. I may be new but I feel accepted and welcomed around here. The others, those who appreciate me, don't feel the need to lower their guards and I've heard many things, interesting things, that are best left unsaid at this time, at all time. But, I can assure you, even though the words were, uh, questionable, the tone was clearly light-hearted and full of that trust and loyalty, full of warmth. I found nothing incriminating at all. I know tones and intent; the CCPD has quite a few members that make me feel safe." 

Calvin paused again and David didn't feel the urge to hurry him along. The kid was clearly speaking from his heart which earned David's respect more with each passing second. 

"The moral around here is high," Calvin continued. "The office pools are proof of that, the water cooler chats, how they alibi one another like that time Kenny and Jacks were ... " Calvin suddenly paled. "Ah, you didn't hear that from me ... " 

David heard Rob laugh lightly and had to grin himself. "No worries, Calvin. I know all about Kenneth and Jackson. I may appear to be a harsh bastard around here, but so long as they get their work done, I don't care where they sneak off to." 

"Uh," Calvin blinked as understanding struck him fully. "Okay, then, that's good to know." Calvin grinned as the tension dissipated. "Like I said, a lot of light-hearted conversations with the maybe more than casual toeing of the lines regarding some policies but never any ill intention. At least, not until last week when Ethan came in during one of such conversations. He seemed cool at first, joking along with the others like he's been their best bud for years and knew everything from a personal perspective." 

"First hand experience," David interjected. 

"Yeah, that! However, Ethan has only been here about two years. His tone was the airy braggart sort, with no solid foundation. The others appeared wary of Ethan but kept their words light so he wouldn't know how uneasy he was making them. Thinking he's one of the 'big boys', poking at the various policies like the rest of them do, Ethan did the worst possible thing by jabbing at the one policy that nobody dare joke about." Calvin shuddered at the memory. "I had never once seen an entire room turn stone-cold serious in a single moment. Ethan laughed it off, saying those nasty things about that particular policy. Nobody cared to speak to Ethan since that day unless it was purely business related. He didn't care and just went about his duties like he always had." 

David sighed and rubbed his eyes, annoyed at having missed the signs surrounding Ethan. 

"One guy did talk to Ethan," Calvin spoke quietly. "Saw them together a few times. I don't want to be branded as a snitch especially if there's nothing sinister going on between them, but ... " Calvin trailed off and sighed. 

David held up his hand, stopping any more words from coming out. "You're not a snitch, Calvin, far from it. And you don't need to pursue that thought any further as I'm already undergoing my own investigation on that person of interest. What you have said has only increased my own arsenal of information." 

Calvin exhaled in relief. "Good. There's something else you need to know." 

David raised an eyebrow as he watched the young tech fish something out of his pocket and placed it on the desk. A bug. 

"It's been deactivated, no way for it to turn on remotely, I made sure of it," Calvin beamed but then grew more serious. "It's a pulser. We plucked it out of Barry before it could do a real number on his veins and organs." 

David paled and felt Rob's hand on his shoulder. 

Rob spoke up. "Soon as we got Hart to rights again, Barry came in, quite damaged, only conscious for a moment. Calvin caught the sound of the pulse waves and we pulled the bug out of him. One energy line had become affected which was interrupting his healing. Any longer, he would have become a right mess inside with majority of his organs shutting down." 

"Scary shit, scary bug," Calvin confirmed. "This is no ordinary bug, meant to work in tandem with another. No sign of the second bug so likely got interrupted before it could be implanted. The first bug would have wiped him clean, the second bug would have rewritten him, like a computer program, via pulse waves. Special order, not on the market, there's a tiny mark that indicates it came from some insanely exclusive club that officially does not exist. Unofficially, not someplace I want to be." Calvin handed over a print-out. "It's over on the far West side near the river." 

"Calvin, how ... " David trailed off, immensely astonished by this quick work. 

"May have ... uh ... digitally speaking you know ... " 

David waved the comment off. "Understood. This is damn fine work." 

Calvin beamed at the praise. 

David glanced at the clock and groaned at how late it was getting. "Was there anything else, Calvin?" 

Calvin tilted his head in thought. "No sir, Captain. Although, I would like to add that, even though I am new here, I feel quite passionate about some things around here like a lot of your crew. I know everyone's thoughts and opinions toward the two upstairs. I can assure you that I have no ill intention toward them. They're good people, definitely odd but well liked. You can count on me to keep my ears open." 

David marveled at the serious tone in that vow. Not an official vow with all the legal terms, but it was just as powerful, maybe even more so. 

"That means a lot to me, to us, Calvin. Thank you." 

Calvin beamed again and turned toward the door. "Oh, you might want to verbally kick me outta here. Can't have the precinct thinking you're not all growly 24/7." 

"What the blazes you going on about, you impertinent git?" David flew to his feet and ripped the door open. "I'll have you know that I'm the most honest and caring Captain in the whole god damn country! Get the hell out of my office before you have me keel over before retirement!" 

He heard the snickers from some insolent buggers as he slammed the door behind a visibly paled young tech. Slumping back into his chair, he growled at Rob's outright laughter. 

Turning to his computer, David tapped into Hartley's surveillance equipment and scanned the footage from that day. 

It was pretty much what he expected. Crime Scene struck, Hart was preparing his Lab, Hart began stumbling, Calvin came up and was helping Hart, Ethan came up and assaulted Hart, Calvin found Mick, Mick hauled Ethan downstairs, Rob helped Hart with Calvin's assistance, Barry came in, they helped Barry, David walked in on them. 

Very straight-forward and would have Ethan convicted and charged within moments based on this footage alone, if only it weren't for the blatant display of Meta powers. David sighed. Definitely one for the special court; this case had to be handled in a way that won't reveal Barry and Hartley's true natures to the normal populace, least of all Ethan. 

He reached up to Rob's comforting hand on his shoulder, resting the side of his face on that hand. Being a Captain meant handling a lot of difficult cases, especially those that involve his closest friends. 

He silently vowed to make sure nobody else laid a damn finger on their Hartley, even if he has to toss their friend in the holding cell. Much safer in there for him. 

\----------------------------------------------

He glowered as his fellow CSI seemed to take an exceedingly long time to go through what little evidence they found. How he wished he could tell the fool that nothing they brought back would amount to anything. He had made damn well sure of it. 

He fumed at that blasted bastard that began working at the CCPD that week. He thought that kid, Ethan, would take care of the problem today, but no. So much incompetency in this City. 

Tapping his cell phone, he pulled up the special Message Board. Only a couple of rumours that led to dead-ends. Nobody had seen the Legendary Hunter. 

Thrusting the phone back in his pocket, ignoring the exasperated look from his co-worker, he fingered his own gash hidden beneath the sleeve of his sweater. That was inflicted upon him when he was pulled out of that dark realm. He didn't like angering them even though he fully deserved it. He had dallied far too long in making the preparations. 

No more. No more delays. 

With that resolve, he stood up and left the Lab, ignoring the protests of that insufferable fool they partnered him up with. He had better things to do that week. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit, I don't know the name of every member of the CCPD, whether it be in the Arrowverse or Comics. Since my story is a loose mix of the two that happens to have similarities, I have taken upon myself to create some new characters, mostly minor, that help my story progress along. These new characters are not intended to resemble anyone alive or dead, they have been formed completely by my imagination with the sole intention of entertainment in the literary form.
> 
> I will do my best to use this End Note space to touch upon new characters. I know I missed out on explaining a few characters early on but I will get to them in due time. For now, here's the list of the ones from this chapter:
> 
> Doc Rob Singh (fiancé to Captain David Singh)  
> Very little info is known about Rob in the Arrowverse and no known last name before getting married. For the Tags, using Singh as that's what everyone knows him as. In the story, no last name is provided as they're not yet married. Decided to turn him into a Doctor seeing as he does care about David's eating habits and keeping him healthy. Plus, we can always use another Doc on the support team.
> 
> OC Calvin  
> Newly graduated from the Academy, he's aiming to be one of the Tech Guys at CCPD, doing all the computer research into high-security databases, and retrieving lost/damaged files from various electronics (cell phones, tablets, computers, laptops) obtained from crime scenes and during investigations.
> 
> OC Ethan  
> 2nd year on the force, a random, possibly friends with ... ?
> 
> OC CSI Gagne  
> One of the senior CSI, was around when Barry and Hartley first joined the CCPD.
> 
> OC Kaplan (West Side CCPD)  
> One of the two officers that raped Hartley at the precinct before Gotham.
> 
> OC Cartel (West Side CCPD)  
> One of the two officers that raped Hartley at the precinct before Gotham.
> 
> Mrs Cleary  
> Elderly lady, lives across the hall from Barry. Loves baking cookies. Owner of female cat Scratches, kitten Fireball, and two other kittens not yet adopted or named. (I have plans in place for these two kittens).


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited Star Wars movie marathon has arrived! Leonard has a long overdue conversation with Hartley. Hartley's Gotham days catches up to him, along with something more sinister. Oh, and Kyle adores critters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While not primarily Barry-focused, this chapter sets the stage for upcoming chapter 9. No worries, tho, Barry will become the main focus again in chapter 8.
> 
> There are some good Len moments within as he reveals some hidden feelings, and Mick gets in a bit of action as well.
> 
> I still seem scattered in my writings but I really am going somewhere with all this. Thank you to each one of you for joining me so far on this journey. Lots more to come in the coming weeks!
> 
>  
> 
> WARNING:  
> Beware the ending.  
> Nothing of note to be warned about aside from a bit of decapitation at the very beginning. Altho, I'm certain a few of you will cheer about it. ^_^

**\-- Hart Play --**   


He groaned in frustration as Dobby, the House Elf, neatly decapitated his Beebo. 

"That be Wizard Chess, Barry!" 

Pressing the button to clear away the digital remains of the blue furball, Barry glanced over the board, pondering his next move. 

"What part of this chess is Wizard?! Do we even have any Wizards on the board?" 

Selecting a TaunTaun, he moved it ahead two spaces, in hopes of moving his Gimli to combat Cisco's Venasaur on the next turn. 

"Sure we do," Cisco replied as he ignored the TaunTaun so as to move his Yoshi over to take out Gimli. "I have Gandalf over here, you have Thrall." 

"Thrall's a Shaman, he controls the elements, he's no wizard," Barry watched as his Epona trampled over Venasaur and placed Cisco's Pumbaa in Check. 

"Why the hell I have a pig as my King, I will never know," Cisco sighed as he moved Gandalf to incercept. 

"Why the hell you programmed Beebo into the randomiser, I will never know," Barry growled back as he moved his Drakon along the side. 

"Variety is good," Cisco grinned as he commanded his Tang, the Orangutan, to knock Drakon off the board. 

"Variety is always good," Caitlin spoke up as she entered the lounge. "Especially when you add in Frosty to the mix." She indicated the icy patch on the board where her special playing piece, Killer Frost, stood on Barry's side of the board. 

"I swear, if you were two separate people, you'd both be locking yourselves in here way more than frequently," Cisco growled as Barry put his Pumbaa in Check again, this time with Razer. 

"I don't recognise that piece," Caitlin indicated the new piece, clearly ignoring Cisco's comment. 

"Oh, Razer?" Cisco's eyes lit up as he neatly shredded Razer with his Scyther. "Saw him in a comic book and he was just too cool not to use. Big, bulky, those are sharp knives or something on his forearms, legs, shoulders. His gloves have spikes hidden inside them which is more than enough to let him do serious damage to you. His body is so smooth, it gives off very little traction. Body is made of Lubrilon." 

Barry shuddered. "I'd be shredded to pieces if I even got close to that thing. How would I be able to land a hit?" He moved Frosty to ice Scyther. 

"Stop him from moving," Cisco replied as he moved his Patamon into the spot Frosty had just vacated. "Check Mate." 

"Speaking of not moving," Caitlin spoke while tapping into her tablet, ignoring Barry's curses and accusations of cheating. "I went over the speed data when exposed to the elements and especially to ice, and everything looks normal." 

Barry stopped his pacing to take in her words. When he arrived that morning, they went through his speed movements and he felt fine during the tests, even when Killer Frost blasted him with ice. Only the usual hindrance with the ice and he was back to full speed in just under five minutes. 

"Then how do you account for the fact that he brought me wet food while you were prowling the streets of Starling?" Cisco still hadn't gotten over the fact that the wrapper of his triple burger was damp. 

"One time freak accident?" Caitlin shrugged her shoulders and turned back to Barry. "Next time you notice a drop in speed, whatever the reason, report in right away." She tapped at her tablet a few times and wandered off, mumbling about pressure and density. 

"How're you feeling?" Cisco asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. 

"Huh? Oh, uh, fine?" Barry really didn't know how to answer that as his mind wandered in the direction of weather patterns. 

Cisco sighed. "You're obviously not fine, you're thinking too much! C'mon, let's get the first movie started." 

Barry grinned. "You mean the fourth." 

"Exactly! The first movie!" Cisco hauled out the enormously huge snack tray from the fridge that he prepared last night. He settled it on the table while Barry grabbed the drinks. 

Saturday is turning out to be a pretty good day, Barry thought. Sure, he did "accidently" get kicked out of bed that morning which meant he had time to finally get Caitlin to gain some new numbers on his speed, and time for a round of randomised holo Wizard Chess. Now, he was finally about to begin that long overdue Star Wars marathon with Cisco. He really hoped the City would stay quiet that day. 

Plopping down on the sofa, Cisco hit the remote. "Ready to watch the destruction of Alderaan?" 

"Just give me the X-Wings at the end." Barry settled himself on the sofa as well. 

"I dunno why a speedster would prefer the slower X-Wings over the speediness of TIE Fighters," Cisco grumbled. 

"Easy, I prefer having some shielding, some actual defense. TIEs are fast and more maneuverable, but they're a one-shot KO." 

"Mmm, I think you just have a thing for a couple of the X-Wing pilots," Cisco grinned. 

Barry spluttered some of his drink out and was saved from responding as the score blared through their surround system. The primary rule of STAR Labs is that nobody speak or make a sound when the music of John Williams is playing. 

Looking forward to the X-Wings, Barry put all other thoughts aside. He had been waiting for their Annual Star Wars Marathon for ages. Today is going to be a great day! 

\----------------------------------------------

Leaning against the doorframe, Leonard watched silently, admiring how focused Hartley gets in his work. His friend was bent over his work table with a wide array of gadgets strewn about, both on the table and the floor around him. Leonard wondered how it was even remotely possible to walk around the room safely. 

He also wondered when Hartley had acquired that table, along with all the extra material. There certainly wasn't that much in the bags that Leonard brought back with Kyle, and they hadn't had time for another supply run. 

Speaking of supply runs, that's where Kyle and Mick are right now. Leonard had sent them out to pick up some groceries, with a stop in at a few other places. They were low on laundry detergent and he also wanted to get a stack of casual clothing for Barry that can be stashed at their place. 

A movement brought his thoughts back to the present moment. Hartley had leaned back and stretched. 

"You do realise it is perfectly safe to enter the room. I've not yet activated my sensor explosives for the day." 

Leonard chuckled and slowly made his way over to Hartley, careful not to step on anything. He really had no idea what majority of the stuff was. 

"Thinking it might be good to build you a workshop," Leonard commented as he moved some books off of a chair and sat down. 

"Thinking that might be a good idea," Hartley mumbled as he began shining what looked to be one of those large marbles. 

Leonard waited patiently for a few moments until Hartley deposited the marble with the others. He had no idea what they were for but there were at least a dozen in the bowl. 

Hartley reached over to the bed and retrieved some papers, handing them to Leonard. "Worked out where the property lines are and what's allowed for building. There's a fair amount of space that is sturdy enough to build on. I already got the permits required." 

Looking over the papers, Leonard saw that his place really isn't his place. Which was expected as all this space down by the river was abandoned territory that the bank owned. Leonard had found a spot that he liked, a single-story building that he liked, and fixed it up for himself. There were likely a few others squatting in other buildings. If there were, they didn't bother him, and he didn't bother them. 

Now, he's looking at deeds and permits. His home and a fair amount of the surrounding area, are owned by STAR Labs with Barry Allen's signature. 

"When ... " 

"Yesterday," Hartley responded before he could finish the question. "Just after checking in with Caitlin, we met Lyla at the bank and started snatching up territory down here. Everything on this side of the main road, from our corner here over to the cluster of trees, what is dubbed the South East district of Central City, is ours." 

"Hmm, that's a lot of territory," Leonard felt a bit uneasy with holding that much as he really doesn't have the resources to protect it all. 

Hartley seemed to be following his thoughts. "ARGUS has most of it, especially the upper half toward the road. This South East corner of the area is ours." 

"Ah," Leonard nodded, understanding. ARGUS makes the entire area appear to be in their possession, while Leonard and his crew continue nestling in their own corner. ARGUS will have their own security crew. 

"Yes, plenty of room to expand this place, and it really doesn't matter if we end up on ARGUS land as, like I said, it's really our area. I already have sketches done up with possible additions." 

Leonard found the sketches further down the pile. "Going with the single floor, expanding outward, add a basement?" 

"Yes. I want to add the workshop on to my room here. I thought about a separate building, as we do have the permit to build new structures, but I feel more comfortable with it attached to the main building here." 

Leonard didn't comment on the slight shudder nor prompted Hartley to continue. "Good, I agree. Prefer to keep you in my sight at all times. You'll be increasing the security here?" 

Hartley nodded. "Definitely. There's a new shielding system I learned about in Gotham. I've been tinkering with it off and on and I've only recently figured out how to get it working to my specifications and over a large area." Hartley sighed. "The problem is that I don't have near the amount of energy source material I require to make it work. Plus, I need it to be more pure than the ones I've been using in my everyday creations." 

Leonard blinked as Hartley held up a shimmering blue object, small in size but very much resembled the nipple piercings Barry had on earlier in the week; the difference was that this new one had two bars rather than a single. Reaching for it, he felt the vibration in both bars. 

"I know it's not steel ... " Leonard began. 

"Dwarf Star," Hartley told him. "Very much the same as what Ray Palmer is using over in Star City. Plenty of energy hence the humming, the vibration. What's really unique about it is that it thrives on the extra energy source contained within humans, those that have access to that power. For most humans, it lies dormant, looks like a pretty piece of metal or gem. In Barry's case, the Dwarf Star comes to life whether he's using his powers or not. When not actively using his powers, the Dwarf Star hums quietly, giving off that flickering blue tone. When Barry uses his powers, the material vibrates, sending tingling sensations throughout the body, hopefully pleasurable ones." 

Leonard grinned as the memory came forth. "Very much so." 

"Good," Hartley retrieved the new piercing, made a slight adjustment and set it aside. "Haven't had a chance to check the footage yet. No problems?" 

"No," Leonard replied, thinking back on that night. "Not directly at least." 

"Oh?" Hartley turned his full attention on Leonard. 

"His apartment was bugged," Leonard informed him. "You didn't scan his place Monday." 

He watched as that information sunk in, watched Hartley blink his eyes. "I ... " 

Leonard waved off the comment. "Don't worry about it. I'm getting an idea as to what's happening at his Lab and it's affecting his apartment as well. Someone is planting bugs in both places, both the audio and video kinds, and the more uncommon scent bugs. I was going to get the bag to you last week but it somehow disappeared and I hadn't thought about it again until right this moment. I believe part of their duty is to tamper with memory and rattle the senses." 

He took a moment to collect his thoughts, watching Hartley do the same. "When we entered on Tuesday, his senses checked out. I didn't feel anything myself, although, thinking back, I do seem to recall the air a bit heavier than usual. Barry said he felt a humming and tugging sensation, I'm now thinking that was due to the Dwarf Star. Whatever it was, it helped us find all the bugs and he snapped back to normal again." 

"A divining rod," Hartley mused. "I'm still analysing all the data I've acquired so far in terms of how Dwarf Star interacts with Speed Force, hence been keeping the items small for now." 

"What about the wrist bands?" Leonard inquired as he held up a new one, green with a waterdrop in the centre. 

"Different. That particular one is made out of lubrilon, smooth but without the cutting edges. The previous ones are just as smooth but they're of my own creation and material. Well, there is a single speck of Dwarf Star in the centre as the power source but no more than that. The nipple accessories, however, are completely Dwarf Star. I just crafted the material into what I'd like it to be." 

"So much power inserted into a tiny section of the body," Leonard shuddered at that, a little fearful. He knows how dangerous that much power can be. 

"Still only a tiny fraction of power compared to what Barry outputs in a single morning during his pre-work panic mode," Hartley commented. "Imagine how fast he would become if I created a tachyon device out of pure Dwarf Star." 

"You said this stuff wasn't pure ... " Leonard could never imagine just how much power Barry truly has, nor does he want to think about it much. 

"No," Hartley confirmed. "What I'm using on Barry has minor flaws but still close enough to pure. Not minor flaws like you see in gemstones that can affect their sturdiness, but more like an energy decrease. On a scale of 100, the first pair of nipple accessories has an energy output of 75% each. These new ones, with the double bars, has an output of 80%." 

Hartley rummaged around for a moment and pulled out a small disc, about an inch in diameter. "This is pure Dwarf Star. This size, shape, thickness, it's output is 100%. I base my numbers off of this." He hauled out a small rod, an inch in length, half inch around. "The output on this one is 200%. I have no idea what will happen if I use pure Dwarf Star on Barry. It might be too much for his body to handle, or it might become overwhelming enough to turn into an addiction." 

"It could also give him that extra speed edge he needs in desperate times." Leonard set the glowing light-blue rod down on the table. "Hence the need to start small and collect the data you require." 

"Precisely." 

Leonard watched for a few minutes as Hartley settled back to work on what looked to be a dildo casing with holes. Hart was filling those holes with those newly polished marble-looking things, securing them in place, and taking sensor readings as he finished each hole. Glancing around the table, Leonard picked up the base that the covering was to be fitted over. A small item, only about four inches in length, more plug than dildo. He fingered the indents where the marbles will settle into. 

"You sure about the size?" Leonard inquired, knowing full well that Barry can handle a much bigger plug. 

"Size doesn't matter in this case," Hartley replied as he plucked the plug out of Leonard's hand and slipped the covering on. Smoothing it in place, Hartley pressed on a spot on the bottom of the base and the marbles lit up. 

"Definitely aiming for the aesthetics." Leonard awed at the beauty of the plug. 

Hartley giggled. "Definitely, yes. I still need to secure the covering and add more settings. Once done, this will be the prettiest and most pleasurable plug in existence." 

"Output?" Leonard's curiosity was definitely piqued and he knew damn well that those marbles were pieces of Dwarf Star. 

"Only 50% for each one. Six total. Don't want to over-stimulate him too much starting out." 

Leonard shook his head in amusement. "I cannot fathom what goes on in your head and I find myself grateful that I don't know." 

Hartley smirked at that comment. "The mystery of my mind is what intrigues you the most. You love keeping me around as your addiction is finding out what I come up with next." 

"And everything you have come up with has been quite fascinating indeed," Leonard agreed then spoke more seriously, and softly. "However interesting your mind is, that's not the reason why I keep you around." 

"Hmm?" Hartley paused as he was reaching for his tablet. 

This was a conversation that Leonard never had with Hartley and this moment felt right to engage in it. 

"Hart, it's true your mind is fascinating and you are capable of creating many things, I'm seeing daily proof of that. You've learned so much over the years, and you continue to learn and create new things, always improving your skills. This time next year, you'll be at least twice as powerful as you are today, likely more." Leonard stretched his neck muscles as he pondered his next words. 

"As incredible as your mind is, it's also the most dangerous that I've ever encountered. What's worse is that there are others out there in the City who knows a small portion of the power you wield and it's enough for them to try and snatch you away, to work for them. One group had already done so as they knew about your hacking skills. Imagine what else they could have gotten you to do if they even knew about your other skills, your stronger skills." 

Hartley had grown quite pale as he spoke. Apparently, the young tech hadn't thought much about this, and Leonard wanted to make sure he understood. 

"Being in the hands of other groups, they will destroy you, and I'm not just speaking physically. You can handle the physical beatings, even though I don't ever want to see you go through that again. It's your heart that they will destroy. They will force you to build things and do things that go against your very nature, things that will make you sick, things that will make you want to die. I imagine you went through some of that already." 

If he wasn't watching for it, Leonard would have missed it completely, but he did see the slight ripple of neck muscle as Hartley confirmed his suspicions. He hadn't gotten the full story of the abduction, what went on there, and he highly doubt he ever will, but Leonard did have a pretty good idea of what occurred, aside from utilising his friend's hacking skills. 

"Just the thought of you with other people make me sick to the stomach," Leonard continued. "You're much too valuable to be destroyed in such vile ways. Your heart, despite all the damage it's taken over the years, is much too pure and should never be darkened again. Look, I know my past, the things I've done, but one thing that has never changed is how much I care about my City and those closest to me." 

Some colour came back to Hartley's face and Leonard noticed a slight flicker of blue in the eyes. He knew what the green flicker was, but still has no idea about the blue. 

"Change is coming to Central City, has already begun," Leonard revealed, speaking quietly. "I don't know what's coming, but I can feel it. I know you can sense something, so can Barry. I've been checking up on the other groups around Central, they're unsettled, getting antsy. Mardon says there's been increased tension along the West side, talks about fortifying their bases, increasing their numbers. That group that had you, they may have had an inkling of what's coming, hence increasing their accounts. Any of those groups on the West side would be more than happy to have you, to ensure their own safety and become the top group once the storm passes." 

"Anything to do with our blackouts and uneasiness?" Hartley asked, also just as quietly. 

Leonard knew that both Hartley and Barry were feeling some uneasiness but he hadn't known specifically about the blackouts, aside from Barry's lapse on Tuesday. "Possibly. Memory losses?" 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed. "There are holes in my memory, I don't know when they began. Tuesday morning, for example, before work, I know something happened but no idea what. I had the sensation that something bad happened, but not the details. It wasn't until Wednesday when I discovered that my memory had been tampered with. I know Barry has been feeling the same way." 

Leonard sighed, feeling uneasy himself. "I haven't been feeling the memory losses, aside from the forgotten bag, but have certainly felt the uneasiness. I don't know if the memory loss is primarily a Meta thing or not." 

"But I'm not a Meta," Hartley shook his head, the words surprising Leonard. "I'm nothing like Barry or any of the Metas running around Central City. I wasn't even here when the Particle Accelerator exploded, remember? I was in Gotham. The memory losses, that can't be it. Can't be just a Meta thing." 

It's true, Leonard did forget that Hartley wasn't in Central at the time. "If not a Meta, then what's with the blue energy sparks in your eyes?" 

"Uh," Hartley blinked, not expecting that question at all. "I'm not quite sure but Barry says I get a green energy flicker when I'm tapped into the Healing Force. Whatever energy I have, I thought it came from Barry, catching his excess. However, I'm not too sure now." 

"Healing Force?!" Leonard could not hold back his surprise. He knew the green flickers had something to do with the healing energies, but he figured that was only because of Barry's ability to heal through his Speed Force. He's never known Barry to be able to heal another person before, not until these past couple weeks with Hartley. It was a reasonable assumption that Hart's green energy flickers were due to Barry's energies flowing through him. 

"Yes. It's an aspect of the Speed Force with an infinite amount of energy. The primary focus of the Speed Force is naturally the Speed. Barry can also tap into healing, time travel, vibrations, distortion of space, and who knows what else, but those are secondary to speed. Healing Force, primary focus is Healing. Apparently, I have had access to the Healing Force all my life." Hartley shrugged as if this was a normal conversation, small-talk material. 

"Gods," Leonard muttered. "If word gets out that you have THAT specific ability, and access to infinite amounts of power, then we can kiss this City good-bye, likely the entire country, possibly the world." 

"I hear Earth 3 is pretty nice this time of year," Hartley mused, in an attempt to lighten the topic. 

Leonard wanted that light tone but he needed to finish speaking his mind first. "As much as I would love to take you on a vacation, get you away from Central for awhile, we're needed here. Honestly, I would give anything to keep you safe." He sighed in frustration at how difficult the damn world was. 

"Len?" Hartley spoke through his uneasiness, Leonard hearing the worried, concerned tone. 

"Hart, I keep you around, with me, because I want you here, need you here." Leonard took another breath, he's really not comfortable with voicing his feelings. "Others would destroy you, manipulate you, use you. I would never do that to you. I will never allow anyone to do that to you. If I had my way, I'd draw up a new contract with you, claiming ownership, and lock you up in your room just to make sure nobody gets their grubby paws on you." 

"Len ... " 

Leonard held up his hand to cut him off. "I can't keep you locked up, and I know I can't keep an eye on you all the time. However, I can, and I will make sure you are being taken care of. That means feeding your brain with new knowledge, making sure you have all the possible means at your disposal to obtain such knowledge, plus any training you want to undergo, I will make sure you get it. Gotham was good for you in that regard, the training and technology you've obtained, did your heart good as well." 

Hartley flushed when he mentioned Gotham. It was then that Leonard knew that more had happened over there that Hart had not spoken of. 

"I can make those promises with every intention of following each one through, because I know you, I know your heart. You want to protect this City and especially your friends. I want that, too. In order for that to happen, though, I need you kept alive and in your true state of mind." 

Leonard exhaled the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. The most difficult part is still to come. 

"Len, I get it, I really do," Hartley spoke during the pause, giving him a much needed breather to collect his thoughts. "I have always known what you thought of me, even if you've never spoken the words. Each day I see you, I feel your protection. I know I can be an obnoxious, self-centred asshole at times but never once have you been truly angry at me, never once have you ever forced me to do anything I didn't want to do. Sure, there have been times I'd be manipulated into cleaning up my messes but that's as far as that ever goes." Hartley giggled at a memory which lightened Leonard's heart. 

"Good, I'm glad you feel that way," Leonard said, his tone turning more serious. "Truth is, I do want to keep you here, with me. I am working out some new contracts with the Rogues, but I need special contracts with you, with Kyle, Mick, and even Barry. Like I said, change is happening here in Central City. I need to make sure you keep doing what you're doing in keeping your heart strong and pure. You guys are my inner circle, the ones I trust the most. You, especially, help keep the rest of us strong, focused, and aimed in the proper direction. You're the heart and soul of this group. Without you ... " 

Leonard trailed off, suddenly unable to speak any further as his chest had tightened up too much. He also felt frustrated at not actually saying what he wanted to say, hiding his feelings by bringing the whole damn group into his explanation. 

Apparently, he needn't have worried about not getting his true feelings across. Hartley had grasped his hand and was kneading the back of it, sending warm energies into him. 

"I know," Hartley spoke soothingly. "I'm here, right now, and I don't plan on going anywhere. Well, aside from the Base later this afternoon as I have a spare Dwarf Star stashed under my bed." A chuckle lightened the moment. "As for contracts go, I can definitely assist you with that; I know what you're thinking, your thought process. I do feel the need for that extra bit of security especially where other groups, other gangs, are concerned. As for being with you, and not just as part of the inner circle, but actually with you, well, that's a complicated topic. I don't exactly know what's going on here, this is some strange relationship thing we have going on, but we're all being melded together in an interesting way. I've been with Barry for seven years now, off and on, currently back to being ON due to the nature of our situation, especially at work, but I'm with Kyle as well. Plus, I've been with you and Mick for years but no actual relationship has ever been defined, aside from watching each other's backs. Then there's you with Mick as a permanent part of your life, then Barry came along and ... hate to say this, but I think Barry complicated all our lives." 

Leonard blinked as Hartley let out genuine laughter. After a few moments, Hartley continued. 

"I know what you're thinking, how you're feeling. I feel the same way, trust me, I really do. As you say, change is coming. However, I don't believe it's only Central City that is changing; you have changed over the years, Mick has as well. I know I certainly have. I'm no longer the geek that arrives home with a new bruise or broken bone each day; I can take care of myself now and I have those special ones around me who's interests are genuine, and look out for me. I'm not sure what next week will hold, or next month, but I can assure you that I want to find out, with you, with the others. Whatever is happening down here, I'm a part of this, and I don't want to be anywhere else." 

Leonard ignored the gasp as he suddenly embraced Hartley, holding him tightly. It's true, something strange is happening down there, with all of them, but it's a good something. The only thing that truly mattered is that Leonard didn't want to let go of any of them. He's known Hartley nearly as long as he's known Mick, and has been quite fond of his friend ever since. How he wished he had said something back then, but those were complicated times and he lived a completely different life, not one for a pure soul to be part of. He did what he could though, looking out for Hartley, even from afar. Now, though, now ... never again will he let Hartley slip out of his fingers. He means to hang on tightly, this time. With Mick, Kyle and Barry in the mix, he has all the strength he needs to help keep his precious Hart safe. 

Blinking an eye open, Leonard realised he lost sense of time, not knowing how long he was holding on to Hartley. 

"Hart?" He gazed down at the dark-haired boy on his shoulder. 

"zZz" 

He rolled his eyes in amusement. Leonard couldn't believe how alike Hartley and Barry were, probably why they connect so well together. 

Spotting something on the table, a black cylinder that sparkled blue in the light, Leonard reached out for it, the movement jostling his sleeping Hart. Taking a closer look, it was six inches in length and not very thick at all. The blue sparkles were actually speckles embedded into the hard leather material; when he ran his fingers over them, Leonard felt their energies. Based on the shape and design, he had a good idea what it was. 

"Mmm, that's mine," Hartley lifted his head, indicating the object. 

"Oh?" Leonard hefted the dildo in his hand, feeling its weight. The material itself is heavy but he also felt a bit of hollowness. He felt around the base, pressing around, but discovered nothing. 

"It's attuned to my fingerprint plus the one who sent that." Hartley shifted around to take the item, pressing his thumb into the base. A compartment opened and a data stick popped out. "Been busy this week, plus the attacks on Wednesday, I completely forgot all about it." 

Leonard groaned. "You get top secret information delivered to you in the form of a fuckin' dildo?!" 

"Not usually," Hartley examined the data stick before inserting it into his tablet. "The one who delivered this, it was likely his idea." 

Leonard clearly noticed the blush as his friend tapped out long strings of commands. He knew Hartley had to meet someone that night after work, but Leonard didn't know who or why. He still doesn't know the who, but he's certain he was about to find out the why. 

He settled himself to wait as whatever was on that data stick, required a lot of typing just to access it. Knowing Hartley, this could take quite a bit of time. 

\----------------------------------------------

Focused on his tablet, inserting all the security codes and strings of commands, Hartley wondered what could possibly be on the data stick. Considering who delivered it, he knew who had sent it. He just wanted to know why, and what's happening in Gotham that requires his attention. 

While inserting the commands, he let his mind wander back to Tuesday night, when the Gotham Bounty Hunter came to Central City. 

* * * *

**Tuesday Memory**

Tossing his bag into the car, he followed Kyle down a couple blocks toward a park with a pathway circling a pond. The park itself was mostly empty at this time of evening but there were still a few joggers along the path. Most people would be home tending to their dinners and spending time with their families. 

It was still summer so it hadn't gotten dark enough for the path lights to turn on. 

Gazing around, Hartley wondered why Kyle brought him here. Three joggers, two guys at the hoops, looks like some drug dealers way down the path near the trees, a fox sitting on a bench, crows by the waste bins, a motorcycle halfway around the pond that was clearly not in a parking lot. 

"As lovely as this place is, I don't understand our purpose for being here right at this moment. Unless you wanted me to take in the rare sight of a fox sitting on a bench?" 

Even though Hartley did take a picture of that fox with his cell phone, he couldn't help but be intrigued by the motorcycle. Normally, he wouldn't pay much attention to something that far away that is of zero threat to him, but something about that motorcycle captured his interest. 

And it's that motorcycle that Kyle seemed to be aiming for. 

"Good pic?" Kyle asked. 

Checking through the images on his cell phone, Hartley studied the few he had just taken. "Yes, got a good one here. I'll send it over." 

A moment later, a ping sounded and Kyle hauled out his cell phone. Hartley saw his Hunter's face lit right up. 

"Very good pic!" 

That's the thing about Kyle. One of the most dangerous individuals Hartley has ever known, extremely skilled in countless ways to hunt down and destroy his targets, yet the most soft-hearted guy he has ever had the pleasure of knowing. Kyle adored critters, kittens, foxes, and the like. As grateful as he is for Kyle's "professional" side and being able to watch his back, Hartley found himself admiring the Hunter's soft side even more, able to care for Hart in more ways than just pulling him out of dangerous situations. 

Hartley is mighty glad that it was Kyle that found him and brought him back home again. 

So lost in thought, he hadn't realised they reached the motorcycle until he felt the coldness of five muzzles press along his spine. Well, he couldn't really feel the muzzles themselves but he certainly felt the five cold spots appear. 

Normally, he would instinctively twist away, capture that unique piece of weaponry, and turn it on his adversary while knocking him flat on his back, but there are some things his body just won't forget, and he found himself relaxing. 

"Care to tell me why you're hanging around my motorcycle when I wasn't even here?" The words were spoken low, deadly, very threateningly, but Hartley paid no mind to the tone. 

"Care to tell me why you ignored that perfectly nice looking parking lot over there?" 

Out of the corner of his eye, Hartley noticed that Kyle was still looking through the images on his cell phone. He knew there were close to a thousand images that he sent over to the Hunter in the last few months. Relieved that were no threats in the surrounding area, Hartley leaned back to gain a better feel of those muzzles on his spine. 

"Mmm, more secluded here than a parking lot." 

An arm wrapped around his waist and Hartley heard those words spoken directly into his ear. He glanced around where they were standing. 

"Ah, a dog walker, a drug dealer, and that nice looking park patrol officer is your idea of 'secluded'?" He couldn't help but bait his adversary as he turned his head and grinned, seeing those pretty grey eyes peering into his own. 

"You always did have a good eye for pretty things," Floyd chuckled which sent a tingle through the side of his neck as the Gotham Hunter was nuzzling him. 

"I believe these days my order of preference is the dog, the park patrol officer, the one walking the dog, and don't bother with the dealer except to let the patrol guy take care of him." 

The muzzles were removed from his spine as the arm snaked around to his chest, the blade side pressing firmly as he was pulled closer against his other Hunter. 

"Oh? Switching species?" Floyd growled into his ear. "Not sure if I like that idea." 

Hartley rolled his eyes. "Oh, c'mon, it's not like that. Dogs are just easier to deal with, they don't talk back to you, they don't order you around, they're always appreciative when you're around and the only demands they have of you are when it's food time and walk time." Come to think of it, Hartley thought, Barry is very much like that, if one included the third demand which was sex time. 

Hearing a click, he heard the hum as the energy blade came to life. He also heard a tear as his shirt split open, and felt when the blade pressed against his one active nipple. He shivered at the chill. 

"I heard the rumours," Floyd began as he pressed the blade to the other nipple and not getting any sort of reaction. 

"I'm okay," Hartley assured him, speaking softly. "Still a lot of dead areas but parts of my body have already healed. Not much has been activated, though, and will be awhile yet before I can feel such things again. If at all." He sighed, knowing full well that even with their combined healing powers, he may never regain the full range of his pleasure senses. 

Deactivating the blade, Floyd folded up his weapon and sheathed it across his back. Hartley knew exactly what that weapon was, as he had helped design it. 

In the style of a jack-knife with how it folds up, one side is an energy blade that rivals the ancient Sheikah technology, the other side is a string of five muzzles that is perfect for unleashing bullets while in a spin when surrounded by monsters. The blade portion remains dormant until activated by locking the weapon into its blade mode, the blue energy appearing across the back side of the firearm. Sure, bullets can still be fired in blade mode but aiming can be a bit trickier as one wouldn't be able to hold onto the second grip with the energy blade active. 

Monsters ... Gotham is full of them which is why Hartley had taken Floyd's crude version of a gun-blade and made it bigger, badder, and better. 

Floyd sighed as he ran his hands along Hartley's chest. "Bastards. Still, better than the alternative." 

Hartley trailed his hands along Floyd's arm, feeling him, feeling his warmth. Such a strong, protective arm. He shifted his legs automatically as Floyd's roaming hand trailed downward. 

"Alternative being death?" he inquired. 

Floyd shook his head. "Alternative being turned into a Gotham Monster." 

"Suppose it depends on the type of Monster, how it looks, primary objective ... " he gasped suddenly, feeling a sharp pain drag along the underside of his penis. He knew what the Hunter was aiming for but hadn't felt that roaming hand until that moment. 

"I'm beginning to wonder if putting you back in Central City has messed you up a little too much," Floyd chuckled as he continued his tight stroking. 

"Nngh, think it was Gotham that did that," Hartley felt a chill as his pants were dropped. He frantically looked around but nobody was near enough to pay any attention to them, and Kyle was hovering close by providing some much needed covering. 

"Do you regret it?" 

He knew the Hunter was referring to Gotham, his time spent there. "Never," Hartley responded without a doubt. He had gone to Gotham to get away from Central for awhile, and came back feeling much improved, stronger, and better able to protect himself and his closest companions. 

He also gained some crazy new friends over there. One of which is now probing his asshole, based on the pressure he started feeling upon insertion. 

"Still so tight," Floyd chuckled again as he removed his fingers and adjusted himself. "Good to feel your energies again." 

Before Hartley could ponder that comment, he bit back a curse as the Hunter buried himself fully in his ass. 

"Mmm, feels just as good as always," Floyd practically purred in his ear. "Never cared for those annoying supplies, such a hassle." Hartley felt him wiggle a bit. "Nothing out of the ordinary, although slightly chilled. Not much warmth gets in there these days, I bet. Shame. Once you get yourself fully activated again, you'll seek me out, hmm?" 

"Ungh," was all Hartley could say as he really didn't want to attract the attention of the park patrol officer who came around the bend in the path doing his patrol duties. Just as he caught the officer glancing their way, Kyle had stepped into his view and Hart admired how smooth his own Hunter's dark brown trench coat looked along the back, not a single crease could be seen. 

"One more moment," came the hissed words in his ear as Hartley felt the arms tighten their grip around his waist and chest. Exactly a moment later, Floyd shuddered and groaned into his ear. Even though Hartley couldn't feel it, he knew that his Gotham Hunter had deposited a load inside him. 

"Mmm, so good, so tasty." Floyd sucked into his neck. 

Letting him minister to his neck and shoulder, Hartley tilted his head for easier access, and let himself feel everything that he could. He had full feeling back in his neck and partial feeling in his shoulders. 

After a few moments, Floyd retrieved something from his pocket. "Hold still," he whispered into Hart's ear. Pulling himself out, he caught some of the liquid that dribbled out. "Clench." 

As Hartley clenched, Floyd covered his new item with the slickness then pressed it against the asshole. "Breathe." 

Hartley breathed, relaxing his ass muscles and felt the pressure of the foreign object enter him. Floyd adjusted it with a twist, heard a click, felt a tug. 

"There we go. That plug won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Although," he heard a sinister giggle, "it's a mite bigger than a plug." 

Hartley felt himself shift around as Floyd pulled his pants back up. He was facing the Hunter as the other smirked, inserted the button, then pulled him forward into a tongue-filled kiss. 

"As enjoyable as I always find you to be," Floyd commented as he pulled away from a dazed Hart, "I do need to be getting back. I was sent here on an errand, I performed said errand," he patted Hart's ass, "and now I must get back before the boss decides to use me as target practice again." Floyd laughed as he approached his motorcycle. 

Floyd kicked back the kickstand as he hopped on and activated his bike, the engine roaring to life. He turned his attention to the Central Hunter. 

"You keep an eye on this one." An order of the highest priority, spoken with the most serious of tones. 

Kyle nodded. "Always." 

Hartley watched as his Gotham Bounty Hunter, Floyd Lawton, gave a nod and roared down the path on his motorcycle. He wasn't exactly sure what just happened but he felt good at having seeing his friend again. 

"Let's get you home," Kyle draped an arm across his shoulders and whistled happily along the way to his car. 

Hartley had the vague suspicion that both Hunters had been in contact with each other. He didn't inquire as his attention was focused on an alternating pressure in his ass. Whatever Floyd inserted, he had made damn sure that Hart would be able to feel something of it. 

He didn't know if, when he sought out the Gotham Hunter next, he'd kill him or fuck him. 

\----------------------------------------------

The memory receding, he hit the PLAY button. The elder butler appeared on the screen. 

"Greetings, young padawan. I trust this message has found you well. Would you be inclined to having a spot of tea? Until next time, cheerio." 

The video clicked off. Hartley tried to replay it but the data stick was already wiped clean soon as the video ended. One of those single-play videos. He knew all about them, after having designed this security measure. 

"Short and sweet, doesn't exactly reveal anything." 

Hartley glanced over at Leonard who was leaning casually back in his chair, although he knew his boss was analysing the video in his mind. 

"Yes, Alfred has never been much for explanations, always preferring his charges to figure things out for themselves." Hartley tapped his finger on the table while he went through the video in his own mind. There was definitely more to the message than the invite for tea. Alfred appeared normal, nothing out of sorts, words and tone were the same as usual. 

Still, there had to be something he's missing, not yet seeing. 

Leonard reached over and halted his tapping finger, bringing his focus completely to their two fingers. A thought began to form. 

"Finger ... " 

"Muscle twitch," Leonard finished the thought. "Only a trained eye could have seen it, the twitch upwards." 

Hartley shook his head. "Alfred never displays any sort of movement when doing these videos. He has never moved a finger before." 

"Which means, he was telling you something." Leonard prompted him. 

Tell me what? Hartley thought about the video, visualised it, focused on Alfred's finger. It definitely twitched in a vertical way. Thinking back to when he got the message, it hit him, what Alfred was conveying. 

Leonard's movement caught his attention. Hartley watched as the blue speckles sparked as Len ran his fingers over each one. That was ... odd. 

"How ... " 

"Hmm?" Leonard glanced at him. 

Retrieving the item, Hartley ran his own fingers along the speckles. He felt the humming, which he expected. Feeding some of his energy into the dildo, the speckles vibrated and glowed a bright blue. Also normal. Except ... 

Looking closer, adding more energy, there was a hint of purple in the very centre of the blue. Picking up one of his own Dwarf marbles, he fed it the same amount of energy. The marble turned bright blue, but no purple. He did the same to the pure Dwarf Star disc and received the same results, except the blue is more clear, an aquamarine shade, still no purple. 

"What is it?" Leonard asked. 

"This isn't normal Dwarf Star," Hartley revealed as he focused on his dildo again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leonard pick up one of the marbles. He snapped his attention fully over to Len when the marble vibrated blue. 

"That's ... " 

"Dwarf Star marble, isn't it?" Leonard shrugged. "How you got it this smooth, fascinating." 

"No, I mean ... " Hartley failed miserably at trying to explain as his mind was racing in a million directions, pondering all the possibilities of what this could mean. He reached for the marble and tapped it, seeing a green flicker along the outside. 

Retrieving the marble, Hartley held it between his thumb and finger. It only vibrated blue. Leonard tapped it, and a purple flicker appeared along the outside. 

"Does this mean your marbles are also not normal Dwarf Star?" Leonard inquired. 

"No, can't be," Hartley's mind was racing. "This new stuff, there's the purple when I touch it. With my regular stuff, it's only been blue until we touched the marble at the same time. Very odd, though. When I held it, it sparked purple when you tapped it. When you held it, it sparked green when I tapped it. What's even more odd, how the hell is the Dwarf Star reacting to you?" 

"How is that odd?" Leonard clearly wasn't getting it. 

"Honestly, were you not paying any attention earlier?" Hartley sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Dwarf Star remains dormant in the hands of normal humans. Only those with an extra energy source can tap into the energies contained within the Dwarf Star, causing it to react in various ways, depending on the energy source tapping in." 

"So, basically, Dwarf Star reacts to Meta Humans and apparently you as well, the non-Metas who have powers." 

"Precisely!" Hartley was relieved that Leonard understood. Except ... "It shouldn't be reacting to you though, you're an ordinary human." 

"Uh, thanks?" came the dry reply. 

"No, seriously. You have zero power source, nothing that would interest the Dwarf Star." Hartley pressed a palm to Leonard's chest to gain a deeper look. "You won't be able to see this, but when I scan into your body, all I see is ... is ... " He blinked. "An entire network of blue energy ... " 

Hartley suddenly felt dizzy; not the sickness dizzy but the dizziness caused by being completely overwhelmed in a single instant. "That's ... not possible." 

"Hart? What's wrong?" Leonard sounded worried but he paid it no mind. He tried to rationalise what he saw. 

"Barry is not able to view the energy lines like I can. When he views me, he only sees the normal stuff: veins, organs, muscles, bones, all that kind of stuff. When I view Barry, and can scan parts of myself, I see the energy network. Anyone with a separate energy source will have that network. You shouldn't have that network but somehow, you do. Were you caught in the blast?" 

Leonard shook his head. "No. I was in Central at the time but I was under cover during the blast. Dillon and Scudder were caught in the blast, though. Mardon was with his brother and they both got hit but only Mark survived. Mick was in the Heights at the time and nobody there got struck by the blast." 

"Hmm," Hartley pondered that information. He did know that about Dillon, Scudder and Mardon, and he knew Mick was at Iron Heights. If Len didn't get caught in the blast, then where did he get his energy source from? 

"Hmm," Hartley repeated. "I wonder if any of this has to do with Barry." 

"Barry got his powers from the explosion. Right?" 

Which was true, Hartley thought. "Yes, but something the Force Guardian said has me wondering about that. She said that I've been a part of the Healing Force since the day I was born, and I've obtained access to the Speed Force five years ago." 

"Wait ... Force Guardian? And you've spoken with her?!" 

"Of course, didn't I just say that?" Hartley sighed in exasperation then elaborated. "It was Wednesday during that big crime scene. Spoke with her then. I know it wasn't the first time but I have so many holes in my memories regarding the Forces that I do not remember any of our prior meetings. The last time was five years ago when I obtained a connection to the Speed Force but I do not know the details. Seems I've been damaged so much over the years that I was blocked off from the Forces. I likely still retain all the past memories of my Force connections but will take time to remove the blocks." 

Leonard sighed and pulled him close again. "Honestly, the more you and Barry reveal about yourselves, the more I seem to age. This Force Guardian, she's not dangerous?" 

Hartley relaxed into the embrace as he answered, "No, definitely not." He paused to think about that for a moment. "Actually, scratch that. The Force Guardian is quite likely the most dangerous and the most powerful being in the entire Multiverse." 

"Great," Leonard growled. "I feel ever so much better knowing that." 

Hartley giggled as Leonard tightened his hold. "You have nothing to worry about, Len, as long as you don't openly reveal nasty intentions toward me and Barry, then act upon them. Now that I'm connected again, I'm under her full protection." 

"Oh?" Leonard inquired, with a hint of challenge in his tone. "You saying you don't need my protection at all?" 

"Mmm, I'll still take your protection. I can manipulate you into protecting me as much as I want." 

Leonard snorted at his comment. "Difficult to manipulate someone into doing something they are already doing and freely." 

"You serious?!" Hartley straightened up to peer into Leonard's natural blue eyes. "I seem to recall slaving away at my work table creating stuff on your orders, day in and day out. Sounds like I'm actually working for that so-called free protection." 

"View it however you want, you're still stuck with me. More officially so once I draw up the new contract." 

Hartley puzzled over that. "You said that before, a new contract, indicating that we already have a contract." 

"Yeah, so?" Leonard didn't seem to know where this was going. 

"We don't have a contract. We never had. How can we renegotiate a contract and draw up a new one if we never had one before?" 

Leonard blinked and Hartley couldn't understand the amused expression that appeared on his friend's face. 

"Wait here," Leonard said as he stood up. 

A couple minutes later, Leonard returned to the room and handed Hartley a small piece of paper. Scribbled letters appeared on the paper along with a doodle of an ocarina. 

_"I gots your back, you gots mine. -- Hart Len"_

"This ... " Hartley could barely breathe, he had forgotten all about this. 

"Twenty years ago, the oldest and most valuable contract I have ever signed." Leonard spoke softly. 

The memory came in full. "I was only seven at the time. There were ... and you came along. We got banged up quite a bit but we beat them, chased them off. If you hadn't been there ... " Hartley shook his head and shuddered at the memory. 

"Yes, we certainly kicked their asses. That group never bothered you again." Leonard held him again until the memory receded. "We need to update and expand upon that contract, make sure no other group bothers you again. Make sure no single person takes you away from me again." 

"Mmm, sounds like a good plan to me," Hartley mumbled, perfectly content on being held so tightly. 

\----------------------------------------------

Once again, Leonard had to admit to himself something he never had to do in many years. He really cares a lot for his young friend. Both Barry and Hartley had somehow set up permanent residence in his heart. Hart grew over a period of twenty years, Barry nowhere near as long but just as strongly. He wondered how he can possibly make room for both of them when Mick has already claimed him many years ago. 

He shook his head. It's as Hart said earlier, whatever was happening down here, with all of them, they're being melded together in an interesting way. 

That also included Kyle. Leonard really needed to update his contract with the Bounty Hunter, make sure Kyle doesn't get snagged by one of the bad groups. Kyle is good for Hartley, good for all of them. Without Kyle ... 

... then Hartley wouldn't have suddenly lit right up and dashed out of the bedroom soon as they heard the Hunter's cheerful whistling. 

Leonard couldn't help but laugh. Soon as he vowed to never let anyone take Hartley away, Kyle appears and takes Hartley away. 

Getting up, he headed back to his own room to place the priceless contract back into his safe. No other piece of paper, contract, document, will ever come close to being as powerful as this contract with Hart. 

"We're headed over to the Base to pick up some things. Anything you need?" Hartley asked as he exited his room. 

Kyle was humming as he finished putting away the groceries. Leonard saw the piles of casual shirts and sweatpants on the table, the packages of socks and undergarments next to them. Way more than he expected. 

"Only thing I need is for you two to get back here safely." 

Hartley grinned at his response. "Definitely. Unlike Barry, we won't get caught up in a thousand things along the way." 

A thought came to mind. "Can you get Mardon to start taking some weather readings?" 

"Hmm?" Hartley pondered the thought. "You're thinking there might be slight alterations in the air that might account for some of the uneasiness." 

"Something like that," Leonard confirmed. "Might be nothing but ... " he shrugged, not needing to finish that thought. 

Hartley nodded. "Understood. I'll be sure to mention it to him." 

Leonard watched his two friends leave, then settled down with a book. It had been a long time since he last had the place, _his place_ , to himself. He briefly wondered where Mick had disappeared to but since Kyle hadn't seem worried, Leonard hadn't felt worried either. Mick will show up sooner or later. 

Right now, the only thing on his mind is finding out whether or not Lily's grandfather, Gray Allen, is still alive. 

\----------------------------------------------

He had no idea how much time had passed when he finished reading Kesuke's account of Gray being in Japan around the time of World War II. He had just set the book on the table when Mick came in. 

"Where've you been?" Leonard asked as he straightened himself up, stretching. 

"Fixin' stove," came the response as the pyro kicked his boots off and headed to the fridge, pulling something out of his pocket. 

Intrigued, Leonard followed him. "What's that?" 

"Hrmm?" Mick held up a very burnt piece of cloth. "Dis Fireball's cloth, one he practised on." 

Leonard watched in amazement as Mick found some duct tape and attached the cloth to the fridge door. 

"Do fer now 'til get a proper way t'hang on wall," Mick's tone was that of a proud parent, a tone that Leonard has rarely heard before, and certainly not in a very long time. 

Leonard had stepped behind the pyro and rested his chin on the other's shoulder. "Hmm, seems you really took a liking to the furball." 

Mick chuckled as he wrapped his arms behind him to pull Leonard in closer. "Smart li'l kit, protective, he knows what's what. Where're our kids?" 

He wrapped his own arms around Mick's waist. "Barry's out at the Labs, Hart and Kyle went to the Base. What're you thinking?" 

Mick turned around and grinned his mischievous grin. "Thinkin' I be needin' a shower and thinkin' of usin' da big one. Can ya check in on 'em, make sure they ain't comin' back too soon?" 

"Oh? Our shower no longer good enough?" Leonard teased him as Mick hauled him over to Hart's room. 

"Nah, jes feel like havin' all dem extra fancy spray jets. Muscles kinda sore after tinkerin' with da stove and checkin' electrical wires in kitchen. Kid's shower will feel nice." 

Leonard took the lead when they entered the room, angling Mick around all the items still strewn all over the floor. He hit a button on the wall along the way, revealing the wall of panels that lit up waiting for his command. 

"Geeze, kid never changes, always a messy room," Mick laughed when Leonard pushed him safely into the bathroom, which was, thankfully, always neat and tidy. 

"Still tidier than yours," Leonard grinned as he tossed over a clean towel and wash cloth. "You get started, you need it more than I do." He emphasised his comment with a sniff. "I'll check in on the kids and join you shortly." 

Mick grunted in response as he dropped his dirty clothes and stepped into the shower. Leonard took a moment to admire his pyro's backside before heading back into the bedroom. 

Pulling up STAR Labs, he scanned until he found Barry in the lounge with Cisco. His speedster was sound asleep on the sofa. He dialed the Labs and watched as Cisco tapped a panel that was inserted into the side of the table. 

"Yeah, busy here. Call back again sometime or like, not at all." 

Leonard chuckled. Cisco was always good to have around, not that he would ever tell _him_ that. "When did he pass out?" 

Cisco bolted upright and scanned around the lounge in panic. Leonard always found that amusing. "Who ... where ... what ... " 

He waited patiently as Cisco regained control of himself. 

"Don't ... do that! You nearly gave me a freakin' heart attack." 

"You're the one that answered," Leonard informed him. 

Cisco huffed in exasperation. "That's not the point. You being you, and calling here, is enough to freak anyone out! And he passed out during the fourth movie." Cisco indicated the sleeping form. 

"You mean the first movie," Leonard couldn't resist. 

"No, I mean Naboo, not Alderaan. Thought you knew your movies!" 

Leonard laughed. "The Gungans put him out?" 

"Nah, was the politics on Coruscant. Why you care anyway?" Cisco sounded baffled as to why Central City's Most Wanted criminal would be contacting him. 

Leonard replied with the truth. "Oh, you know, just looking out for my interests." 

"Ah-huh, I'm sure," Cisco clearly didn't believe him, which was just fine by him. Being able to contact and needle the engineer provided him with priceless entertainment, especially when it included watching a sleeping Barry rolling over and falling to the floor. 

"I'm awake, I'm up, not sleeping!" Barry jolted upright and scanned around. Leonard watched as he tilted his head, listening. "Len? Everything okay?" 

He shook his head, baffled as to how Barry knew he had commed into the lounge. Must be some sort of Speed Force Hearing. "Fine, Barry. Just checking in." 

Barry lit up and relaxed at his words. "Good, good." He turned to Cisco. "Did I miss it?" 

"Nah, Battle of Naboo is just coming up." Cisco replied. "Woke up just in time for the space battle." 

"Phew, I woulda been pissed if I missed that," Barry flopped back on the sofa, relieved. "Not as good as the X-Wing battles ... " Cisco coughed out *pilots* "... but still enjoyable as I do like space battles and being able to maneuver around without being restricted to actual up-down-left-right limitations ... " 

Leonard blinked as he received a crash course on space travel and maneuverability in zero gravity and felt the need to interrupt soon as the topic switched to how Wampas could function in their daily sex life if they were subjected to zero gravity and what their bodily waste would look like as apparently each creature is different in terms of how zero gravity affects them. 

"As interesting as all that sounds ... " Leonard began but was interrupted as Barry rolled into the topic of Banthas and how he read an online fan-fic ... Leonard ended the comm feed. Cisco noticed and grinned, Barry continued rattling on but thankfully he couldn't hear him anymore. 

As adorable as his speedster is, Leonard really doesn't care to hear about the possible mating rituals between Banthas and other alien creatures around the galaxy. 

Tapping into the Rogue Base, he saw Hartley and Mardon in a heated conversation. Leonard didn't need audio to know when Hart was exasperated; he could practically hear his tech's most commonly used words and their exact tone. Mardon was flailing his arms around and Leonard knew he was likely "informing" the tech exactly how weather worked, especially based on the tiny twister rotating around the tip of his wand. 

Knowing that's a conversation best left alone, Leonard stood up and stretched. He kept both video feeds on as he headed to the bathroom, pulling his shirt off along the way. It'd be good to make sure the kids were still where they're supposed to be whenever he and Mick finished with the shower. 

"Busy?" 

Leonard stepped in behind his pyro and felt the sprays of the water on his own body. He felt his muscles relax instantly in the warmth. 

"Yeah, Barry still has six movies to go through, and Hart is engaged in conversation with Mardon." He began scrubbing his partner's back with the cloth. 

Mick sighed pleasurably at the contact. "Damn, dunno 'bout you but think Hart 'n' Mardon will take longer'n movies." 

Leonard chuckled at that comment. "Their conversations do tend to get quite lengthy." Which was very true. To most people listening in, it's all nonsensical babble. To those who knew the bickering duo quite well, there was a lot of technical jargon involved, and a heck of a lot of very important, and useful, information being tossed around nearly as fast as it takes Barry to snatch up Mick's last cookie. 

Mick grunted and turned around, pressing Leonard up against the shower wall. "Good, gives us more time." 

Normally, Leonard doesn't care to risk their safety in the shower, especially not in their own, but somehow, Hart had made some improvements so that the tiles beneath their feets were not slippery at all. Plus, there were a few hand grips along the walls. Which made perfect sense as the youngster still has some momentary lapses in balance when muscles transitioned from tense to relaxed. 

Leonard felt grateful for the extra safety measures as his pyro pummeled his ass. He made a mental note to get their own bathroom included in the renovation plans. For now, his attention is required to check out while his body succumbed to the wishes of his partner. 

The rest of the day belonged to them. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't shoved that blasted wand up your rectum. You might learn a few things." 

"I've been studying weather patterns long before your parents even met each other," Mardon spat back. 

Hartley sighed, the conversation clearly getting nowhere as they've been going in circles for the past hour. Still, it wasn't entirely useless as Mardon had already had an accurate account of the weather during that summer ... and along with the entire past year, and the year before, and the one before that. 

Point is, Mardon can be such a douche. An intelligent douche, yes, but still an asshole. 

Leonard had wanted to check over the data and Mardon already has it all, including the various air pressures and density from a dozen different points around the City on an hourly basis. There were sensors scattered throughout that would alert Mardon to any sudden change or abnormally. 

Their continuing circle was trying to determine what would account for the abnormally that occurred above a building down in the South West district a couple nights ago. A seemingly abandoned building, it was actually an exclusive club of sorts that doesn't exist in the business directory. Likely nothing of interest, aside from that electrified cloud that appeared overhead for a few moments before dissipating again. 

"Honestly," he muttered again and sighed. 

Dropping the conversation, Hartley turned toward the corridor leading down to the bedrooms. Despite not being around much anymore, he still had his room here, full of various useful items. He heard Mardon's continued rant about kids listening to their elders and shut his bedroom door, leaving him is blessed silence. 

Either Mardon really doesn't know how old he is or he keeps forgetting that Hartley isn't as young as the other believes him to be. More likely, Mardon just likes to hear himself talk; he does take it upon himself to "act" as the leader here, after all. 

Gazing around the room, Hartley reflected on how tidy it was, despite having more items here. Quite the contrast to his room at Len's place. Sure, his new room is far bigger than this one, but there just didn't seem to be enough storage space for everything, hence the need for an actual workroom. Here, there's plenty of storage space in the form of hidden cabinets both in the walls and the floor, plus all that space beneath the bed. He hadn't had a chance to incorporate any such useful cabinets into his new space. 

Hauling two duffel bags out of the closet, he tossed them onto his bed. He was only here for one particular item but may as well pack up any other items he might be able to use in the upcoming weeks. Like a few more shirts, pants, undergarments; Floyd actually owes him a shirt. He grinned at that memory, grateful it was only a basic shirt and nothing too fancy or expensive. The point is, he intends for Floyd to reimburse him for that shirt. 

Stuffing the clothing into one bag, adding in a belt and a few random items from his closet, he zipped up the bag and tossed it toward the door. Time to retrieve what he came here for. 

Getting down on the floor, Hartley crawled under his bed, which was an actual double size, a bit larger than Barry's bed, but certainly way smaller than his current bed. Running a hand around the floor, he felt the tiny hole which he inserted a fingernail into, and flicked up the board. He pulled up the next board to reveal a keypad. Inserting the six digit code, he pulled on the handle to reveal the contents within. 

Front and centre was not the item he sought but was something far more valuable. It was the final double-band from college, the one that would only release when Barry was perfectly deflated, which was nearly an impossible feat. Hartley has ideas for several new versions but this particular one held a lot of pleasurable memories. The other four bands were also in this particular hiding spot but they were minor, the prototypes to this magnificent piece. He briefly pondered how the double-band would release Barry now, seeing as the speedster is always at least half-erect. So much energy coursing through his body, Hartley doubted Barry had ever been deflated since the explosion. 

Hauling out the black case holding the five double-bands, he revealed the Dwarf Star that was hiding right behind the bands. Pulling it out, thus emptying the floor safe completely, he backed out from beneath the bed and stood up, placing both the case and Star on the bed. 

He was filling up the second bag when he heard sounds from the corridor. Thinking it was Axel coming back, Hartley paid it no mind, the teenager has always been quite noisy. 

Zipping up the bag, he glanced around his room once more. Hartley knew he'll be back again to retrieve more items but he wasn't exactly sure when he'll get the chance to pop back next. For now, he got what he needed. Best to collect Kyle and head back home, provided that Digger hasn't sliced up the Hunter too much with his new boomerangs. 

He was reaching down for the other bag when the door slammed into him. More accurately, splintered into him. He heard a heavy gust of wind as his body was picked up and slammed against the far wall. 

Hartley blinked frantically, trying to clear his vision but that proved difficult when he's also gasping for air. He started to panic when he couldn't feel anything beneath his feet. 

"WhaRGH!" 

Sharp pains stabbed their way through his chest. He also heard some hissing and clicking noises. Soon enough, he heard actual words. 

"Speak no." 

Wait ... is he being told to speak now or not to speak? 

His vision began to clear a bit but all he saw was a deep red ... fur? Raising his eyes, Hartley flinched away, as much as he could, at having seeing that sharp beak inches from his nose. 

"I'm sure we can talk about this ... " 

He hissed as one of the creature's paws gripped his chin, the claws ... no, talons! ... sinking into the soft flesh of his cheeks. 

The creature, whatever it was, spread its wings and spoke some language Hartley could not identify. Even if he could, he wouldn't have paid much attention as he was wincing at all the visible shelving units cracking, contents falling and smashing to the floor. Whatever this creature was, it had very strong wings that needed more space than his small room to spread out fully. 

"Master ... dead," the creature growled. 

Glaring up into those amber eyes, Hartley tried to make sense of what this avian type creature was saying. 

"Your Master is dead?" That can't be it, though. Why would he care if this creature's Master was dead or not? 

"No!" More hissing as the creature worked out the basic language in his head. "Master ... need ... " 

Hartley got it, he now understood, and he didn't much care for it at all. 

"Ah, your Master needs me dead. Care to tell me why?" He forced himself to remain calm. Best way to prolong his own life was to keep this avian creature talking, right? 

"Pest." 

Of course. Whoever this Master was, has decided to send out an exterminator. Hartley sighed and attempted to get a sense of this thing. Reaching up, he grasped the wrist that was still holding his chin. He's not exactly sure what he's doing but somehow, he felt like he has done this before, or should have been doing this all along. 

He peered into the mind of the avian creature. 

He nearly lost consciousness the moment he did so. 

Hartley had struck a shield, a Mindshield. He couldn't get much information but the little he did, he realised this creature was a rookie solider of sorts, expendable, just following orders. Not even a full adult yet. 

He felt a pain in his chest, but not the physical sort. He hated seeing anyone, _anything_ , being forced to follow cruel orders. 

"Whatever I've done to anger your Master, I'm sure we can discuss this in a civilised manner ... " 

The avian roared in a way that it ended in a squawk. The air pressure alone flattened his body further into the wall, and quite deafening. 

The avian arched his neck, listening, then clicked his beak twice. "Orders. Follow." 

The talons shook his hand free then gripped it. Hartley winced as the talons grazed his skin. His eyes bulged at the sudden pain. The next thing he remembered was his voice trailing off, his scream fading away as his wrist bled out, clearly useless. 

Through the haze of the pain, he gained a vague sense of something else entering the room. Through bleary eyes, he caught sight of reddish-brown fur. Through fuzzy ears, he heard more squawks, clicking, hissing as the two communicated. 

His eyes grew wide as the talons holding him against the wall had tightened their grip, the other talons creating some sort of flickering energy ball. He flailed helplessly. He couldn't scream. He couldn't even look away. 

All the skills he has ever learned over the years, ran through his memory, and Hartley couldn't find a single one that would be effective in this situation. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't even tap into his Healing Force, or any Force. 

He was pondering what could be blocking access to the Forces when a single word startled him back to the current situation. 

"Die!" 

The avian creature -- now that he thought more about it, actually resembled Garudamon, but more menacing looking -- thrusted his energy-ball talons forward. 

\----------------------------------------------

"You do realise, the only reason he turned to the Dark Side was because the so-called Light Side rejected him," Barry growled. 

"Maybe if he had a stronger heart, and more Light to begin with, he wouldn't have fallen over there." Cisco growled back. "Face it, man, he's a jerk." 

Barry sighed. They were arguing about Anakin's fate the past half hour. 

"All I'm saying is that Anakin had been picked on since he was a kid, never accepted anywhere. Then comes along two guys who offered him some training, promised him that things would get better but then their elders flat out rejected him and practically tossed him out on his ass. To make things worse, one of his two mentors died, then his mum died, and more people made false promises to him, then rejected him ... it's no wonder he fell into the hands of Palpatine, the one guy who delivered on his promises to train him, help him get stronger, showed him any kind of companionship. Nevermind the fact that the great Emperor turned out to be full of shit, going the whole nice routine until he got what he wanted. But, at that time, right this moment, Anakin didn't know that. Nobody did. Anakin went to where he was genuinely wanted, and that part is very much true, Palpatine was genuine in wanting Anakin at his side." 

Barry stopped his rant only to realise that he had been pacing the whole time. He hadn't realised he had stood up. Frustrated, he headed to the fridge to grab another soda. He paid no attention to Cisco's stunned expression. 

"You ... " Cisco began. 

"I, what?!" he snapped back. 

"Uh," Cisco blinked. "Maybe we should start the next movie?" 

Barry knew what was on Cisco's mind and yes, he had to agree, it does sound like he's speaking from personal experience. The point though, Barry's feeling irritated and he had no idea why. It steadily grew over the past half hour. And it certainly wasn't because he was being reminded of past personal experience, or even current personal experience. 

Tossing the empty can into the bin, he grabbed two more and headed back to the sofa. He had just tossed his best friend a can and settled himself back on the sofa when he felt a sting in his chest, a sense of dread washing over him. 

"Barry! What is it?" 

He must have froze, considering the urgency in Cisco's tone. What could he tell him though? 

"I ... not sure, something," Barry shook his head and closed his eyes, focused on his breathing. Within moments, he had his answer, in the form of dark swirling energies. 

"HART!" 

He snapped his eyes open in full panic, and zipped out without an explanation to Cisco, nabbing his protective suit along the way. The problem was, he wasn't sure exactly where Hartley was at the moment. Trusting in his senses, he let his feet guide him. 

A moment later, Barry still wasn't quite sure what part of Central City he was in as he wasn't paying any attention to his surroundings. Now that he has arrived at his destination, he nearly ran head-first into some giant bird. He managed to phase just in time and dodged a boomerang as it sliced through a wing. 

Dodging around another bird, giving off an electrical spark as he passed, hearing it's pained "squawk", he nearly slammed into the side of the building. Another quick phase, Barry found Mardon struggling to his feet. 

The sound of a deep electrical charge registered in his ears and he zipped down the corridor, phasing through another damn bird, letting loose a spark of his own during the phase, and nearly stopped dead in his tracks. 

The bird he now faced held a blue energy ball, very much like a Rasengan if he thought about it, and had just thrusted it forward. Dark energies had just started to flicker around Hart but there was no possible way his friend could counter that move in time, especially not with a shattered wrist. 

Without another thought, Barry surged forward, ignoring Hart's warning, whatever it was. 

He quickly found out what that was as Barry's speed hiccupped just as he was about to pull Hartley away. It was more than enough time for the bird to ... to ... 

\----------------------------------------------

"BARRY!" 

He watched in horror as that energy ball slammed through his friend's back, the energy ball that was meant for him. Barry's eyes bulged out in shock, a yellow spark appeared, faded, greyed out, turned listless. All the while, Hartley couldn't do anything but watch as his friend's head tilted forward, utterly lifeless. 

He couldn't register the fact that the energy ball still hummed against his own chest, not noticing it couldn't penetrate Barry's Flash emblem which was practically branding his skin with the intense heat and pressure. 

All he could do was cry out Barry's name, over and over again. 

"HARTLEY!" 

The sound of his name broke through his anguish, heard over the angry hissing and squawking of the avian before him. Before he could stop himself, he heard himself speak in a deadly tone that would have frightened even himself if he were in his right mind. 

"Kill it." 

"But ... " Mardon hesitated. Hartley knew why but he didn't care. What's done is done. The energy ball began to disintegrate. 

"Kill it, zap it, I don't care how, just kill this fucking bird!" 

The avian struggled to pull his arm out of Barry's body just as Mardon raised his wand, creating electricity of his own. 

"You'll get ... " 

"I don't care. Just DO IT, Damnit!!! Just do it, please!" He didn't care how pathetic he sounded, nothing mattered aside from destroying that bird. 

He heard the anguished squawk a split second before the bolt found its way through Barry and into him. Nothing new to him, he's had worse, far worse. Still, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less, no, far from it. He hissed as he tried to keep his vision clear. 

The avian before him convulsed in shocks as another bolt slammed into them. With a final squawk, the avian fell dead on the floor. 

Hartley hadn't felt his own body hit the floor as the avian's grip on him fell away. He didn't pay any attention to his own convulsing body, ignored the pains. All that mattered, now, was holding his friend. 

"Barry, Barry! C'mon, Barry." 

Over and over again but still no response. 

* * * *

From across the room, Mark Mardon, one of the Rogues, watched on in silence, as his young friend fell apart calling out The Flash's name repeatedly. Finally knowing his identity, Mardon didn't know what to do with that information, especially not at this difficult moment. 

Instead, he watched on, feeling helpless. He also wondered how Hartley had become so attached to The Flash. 

That thought dissipated as he watched in curiosity as swirling green energy engulfed them both. A moment later, they both had disappeared. He had no idea where. 

Turning, Mardon exited the room. 

\----------------------------------------------

This was so not good. How one of the soldiers got himself killed, how it let its prey escape, the Boss (Master!) was not going to be pleased. 

Checking the Board, one name caught his attention: Floyd Lawton, Online. 

His mind began formulating a new plan as he pondered why the Gotham Bounty Hunter had stopped in to Central City. If he couldn't track down the Legendary Hunter of Central, then, if the rumours had any grain of salt to them, the Gotham Hunter should prove just as useful. 

He sent off a request for a meeting. 

He sat back to wait, ignoring the ping from his cell phone, the one used only when the Boss or any of his trusted assistants, commanders, generals, (advisors?) contacted him. He'll deal with them once that rodent has been exterminated for good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was just too good of a spot for a cliffhanger! Next chapter in two weeks! Stay tuned. :) 
> 
> Wizard Chess  
> Razer comes from Wally West era of Flash comics, issues 84 - 85.  
> I'm sure I don't need to go over Pokémon, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, World of Warcraft, The Lion King, Digimon, Legend of Zelda references.
> 
> The book Leonard is reading is "The Far Shore" by Paul T Scheuring.
> 
> Characters:  
> Floyd Lawton (Deadshot)  
> Bounty Hunter of Gotham, employed by Wayne Enterprises. Not much is currently known but has encountered Hartley back during Hart's Gotham days.
> 
> Alfred Pennyworth  
> Butler of Wayne Manor in Gotham City. Looked out for, and was instrumental in Hartley's training.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More knowledge of the Forces, Pizza, Kittens, Meta Beast, and an unfortunate time for Barry. Leonard also discusses a new contract with Kyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a chapter I wanted to write for a long time and was originally planned to be chapter three, then four, then put on hold indefinitely. Plot kept happening and my characters kept having a mind of their own. Finally! It's time to find out just what the Rogues will do if they ever got their hands on our Flash. Enjoy. ^_^
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Abduction, Kidnapping, Graphic Rape, Panic, Fear, Uncontrolled Environment, Reckless Endangerment, Carelessness, Beatings  
> Tread cautiously beyond the point where Mardon and Digger capture The Flash.

**\-- Rogue Play --**  


Darkness.  
Likely because his eyes were still shut. 

Tightness.  
Likely because he couldn't move, restraints probably. 

Warmth.  
Likely because of whatever weight is on his chest. 

Panic.  
Likely because he has no idea what the hell just happened. 

Snapping his eyes open, Barry immediately shut them against blinding light. Well, more like blurriness. Come to think of it, was that even light? Didn't look quite right. 

"Barry?" 

A voice, familiar. The weight on his chest shifted a bit. 

"G'way, sleepin' " when in doubt, pretend you're sleeping. Barry was certainly good at that. 

He heard the sigh of immense relief, felt some warm energies flowing through him. He couldn't help but relax further, letting out an "Mmm". Whatever was going on, he knew those energies. Everything is okay. He drifted off to sleep again. 

Moments later (minutes? hours?), Barry snapped his eyes open again and attempted to sit up but was prevented by restraints, as he had figured earlier. He attempted to phase but that was blocked. He attempted to vibrate but couldn't do that either. Great. Restrained without powers. Barry sighed, wondering where the heck he ended up at. Not that he minded being without his powers, in this type of situation; he just preferred to be elsewhere when he's like this. 

That thought caused a reaction he really didn't need right then, but then, it did certainly go noticed by the sleeping form on top of him. 

"Honestly," the sleepy voice reached his ears. "Can you not control that thing? Ever?" 

"Mmm, I blame it on you all those years ago," Barry told his friend, then glanced around. "Where are we?" 

Barry couldn't see much of anything. Lots of open space, a room of some sort, a big room perhaps? Lighting was soft and a bit on the green side, various shades of green. He couldn't see any furniture aside from what he can glance of whatever type of bed he's on. 

He inhaled sharply as Hartley sat up, eyes blinking from the sudden jolt of pain across his abdomen. 

"Ah, sorry, sorry," Hartley stammered and pressed his hands lightly across Barry's belly. He saw the green flicker in his friend's eyes and knew that Hart was peering inside him. 

"Still healing, still knitting, still tender," Hartley declared. 

Barry blinked in confusion. "Wha ... " 

"One of those new avian beasts sent an energy blast through you." 

Of course. Barry sighed again. The memory was still fuzzy but one thing he was certain of, "Think I'm getting tired of being target practice for these damn beasts." 

"Target was me this time, you just happened to get in the way. You feeling okay?" Hart was patting him down, checking him over, both inside and out. 

What did happen anyway? Why would them beasts be after Hart? 

Focusing on his friend's question, Barry checked himself over and arched his neck as those delectable fingers grazed along it. 

"Mmm, think I feel fine," he replied as he tried to capture the one finger that grazed a little too within range. Succeeding, he nibbled and held on tight. 

"You need to rest more until the healing completes. However," Hartley paused to examine the restraints with his free hand. "You no longer seem to be at risk of reinjuring yourself through excessive movements." 

Capturing another finger, Barry watched as Hart bent over the side of the bed and pressed a button; the restraints retracted, freeing him. 

"You need more rest," Hartley repeated. "Minor movement should be fine but be cautious of ... " 

Barry tuned out the words as he rolled over, trapping Hart beneath him. He flattened himself out, nuzzling into his friend's neck. 

"Mmm, better." 

Within moments, Barry fell asleep again. Wherever he was, wherever they were, he was okay, Hart was okay. They were both okay. 

\----------------------------------------------

Relieved that his friend was more than okay, Hartley didn't growl when Barry rolled over on top of him. He should have expected that, really. 

Instead, he ran his fingers over the entry wound on the back. Still red, but healing. A scar did form during the knitting process but that should clear up within a few more hours. What's more important is that everything "inside" was put back in proper order again; all the veins, muscles, bones, ribs and organs. It was always much easier to take care of bruises than organs. 

"Are you in need of assistance?" 

Glancing up and back, he saw the Force Guardian approaching them. He grinned and shook his head. 

"No. Barry's healing nicely. A few more hours and he should be able to move around more." At least, Hartley really hoped his friend will be awake and mobile again in a few hours. As much as he doesn't mind Barry laying on top of him, he's not sure if he can handle the elbow pressed just below his ribs for too much longer. 

"I was inquiring about you, not our Force Master." The Guardian smiled down at him and rested a palm to Barry's back. "It is very good to see the two of you connecting so well." 

"Uh," Hartley blinked, unsure as to which comment he should respond to first. Instead, he shifted a bit so the elbow would drop further down, away from his ribs. He growled lightly at where the elbow ended up. 

"I'm fine, really. No issues here." He glanced down at Barry, sound asleep, hair tousled, oblivious to the world. Quite adorable, actually, but Hart would never admit that to anyone. "Barry doesn't sleep too well in unfamiliar surroundings, not this deeply at least. He's in his favourite, comfortable position and I don't intend to disrupt his sleep." 

"It pleases me that you look out for our Force Master, and that he, in turn, looks out for you." 

Hartley puzzled over that title. "Of course I would look out for Barry. He's been looking out for me since our college years; least I could do is support him and help him out. He's my best bud." 

"You have an inquiry?" 

He had to think about that. Hartley always has at least a hundred inquiries any time he comes here. He stuck with the current situation for now. 

"You called Barry a Force Master. Why?" 

The Force Guardian seemed pleased by the question. "Because Barry IS our Force Master. I am his Force Guardian, and you are his Force Companion." 

Hartley sighed and closed his eyes, running through what he already knows. 

"Okay, from what I understand, there's a Speed Force and this Healing Force. Last time I was here, you mentioned a Time Force. There's also a Dark Force within me. I know you're the Force Guardian, it makes sense as you appear to be the caretaker of these Forces, the knowledge base, the one we see and seek answers from. Barry represents the Speed Force, I represent this Healing Force. Can anyone really have the energy required to support two Forces?" 

That was a good question. Barry only has his Speed Force, and yet, he has way more energy than Hartley does. Whereas Hart has this Healing Force, plus that Dark Force as well. Unless ... 

"You are thinking about the Dark Force." The Guardian lowered her head and sighed. "The Dark Force is part of the Death Force Network, parasitic Forces that infests Force bearers, leeching their true natures. Many Force bearers have fallen over the years. You are the first in many generations that has survived longer than five years as a host to one of the Death Forces." 

He felt nauseated at this revelation. "How ... " He really didn't know how to ask the next question, or exactly _what_ to ask. 

"As previously stated, you were born with the Healing Force within you. You were quite vulnerable as a child, a prime target for the Dark Force. As you grew, so has the Dark Force, which slowed down the growth of the Healing Force and prevented your true Force from coming to light. However, due to various outside interference, the Dark Force was not able to consume you completely." 

"Barry ... " Hartley hadn't believed he could be more awed by his friend, but he found himself admiring him infinitely more. 

"Yes, our Force Master is one such factor that kept the Dark Force at bay." 

What else could have possibly helped over the years? Running through his memories, Hartley could only think of the times when Leonard and Mick helped him out, Kyle off and on in more recent years but more so in the past few months. He had some good times at STAR Labs and CCPD. He also gained some valuable allies in Gotham. Could all that have possibly helped? 

"Okay, so Barry is our Force Master. Am I correct in thinking that the Speed Force is the central force in our network? The Prime Force?" 

"Precisely! Despite all those hardships, your mind is still years ahead from those of the common human." 

"Uh, thanks," he really didn't need to feel heat in his cheeks right then. "This Network, that means there are multiple Forces that are connected to the prime Speed Force. There are three that I know of ... are there more?" 

The Guardian nodded. "Each individual Force Network is comprised of seven Forces that work in harmony. Each Force bearer has the ability to tap into the other Forces in their Network, but only when a connection of that Force has been fully established with the Force Master." 

"Ah," Hartley understood. "I have that connection with the Speed Force. What are our other Forces?" 

"You and our Force Master have knowledge of Speed, Healing and Time. Speed is a Primary, whereas Healing and Time are both Support. There are two more Primary Forces and two more Support Forces. You, my dear Hartley, are a Primary." 

"Uh," he blinked, repeatedly, trying to take in that new information. "How can I be a Primary if Healing is a Support?" he paused, thinking back over their conversation. "Wait, you said my true Force hasn't awakened yet, it's being held back by Dark. Who's the Healing bearer then? Why do I have Healing?" So many questions, so many thoughts running through his mind. Who could possibly be their other Force bearers?! 

"You were entrusted with Healing at the time of your birth as it is very close to your true, natural Force. Natural Forces are grown over time with the bearer and normally do not fully awaken until the bearer has come of age. Up until that time, the Natural Force grows, remaining dormant, but still feeds the bearer with bits of energy, enough to gain some experience over the years as both Force and bearer grow. Healing Force is very much like your Natural Force, your true Force. We felt it beneficial for you to have Healing, to assist with the growth of your own Force. You would have learned Healing in time anyway. Having Healing within you since birth has proven to be the right choice as you have grown stronger in Healing than you ever would have later in life when merely tapping in." 

"Healing is essentially my secondary Force, then?" Hartley thinks he's getting all this, shuffling through all this new information. 

The Force Guardian chuckled lightly. "A very close, very strong secondary, yes." 

"If the Dark Force hadn't showed up, then I would have gained access to my true ... Natural Force, by now. As a strong secondary, I could have been tapping into both Forces in tandem." That realisation nearly made him queasy at the thought of so much power. "How does one not go insane with handling multiple Forces?" 

"Very carefully," the Guardian said gravely. "Many Force bearers have fallen prey to just that, and thus, allowing the Forces of the Death Force to consume them. Having a strong heart and a very good Force Master definitely helps, along with being in perfect harmony with the rest of your Network." 

"Rest of the Network," Hartley muttered and shuddered at what nearly happened to him, could still happen to him. "I imagine we'll find the rest of our Network, _in time_?" He really hoped it wouldn't be too much longer. The sooner they find more members of their Network, the more secure he'll feel. 

"I sense your impatience and I understand. The others will be revealed in time. That alone will provide you with the hope you need. For now, embrace the warmth and energies of both the Healing and Speed Force. In the world below, continue with activities that keep you happy. I know you like being productive and feeling needed." 

"Uh, yeah," he really didn't know what to say to that especially since he's starting to feel a bit fuzzy. 

"Three Primary, four Support. Speed is the main Primary. Barry has multiple abilities with his Speed, including his self-healing. However, when we're connected, he can send healing energies into others. He can also vibrate, phase, create sparks, toss bolts, and I know he's crossed dimensions and time a few ... uh ... times. If I had to pick his natural element, it would be electricity, and primary colour yellow based on his sparks. One would think red due to his suit but Barry just happens to look good in red with the yellow accents. Primary ... prime ... " 

Just as his thoughts roamed toward primary colours, Hartley gasped and tensed right up. All further thoughts dissipated as he felt a sudden surge of energy flow into him. 

"Are you alright?" 

Is he? He didn't know. "I ... I ... ahhhgh!" A flash of light consumed his vision, leaving him momentarily blinded. 

"Ah, I see." The Force Guardian pressed a palm to Hartley's chest and ... he could actually feel that light pressure. 

His vision cleared as the Guardian checked over Barry again, saw her confused expression, followed by one of awe. 

Another jolt of energy flowed through him and he felt both legs tingling. "Wha ... what is it?" 

"Goodness, it seems our Force Master has already encountered all of his Companions. His gates are all open, even if he is not conscious of that fact." 

"Somehow I doubt Barry is even conscious of all this Force stuff. Does he even know about his own Force Network?" Hartley knew the answer but figured he'd ask anyway. 

The Guardian smiled and shook her head. "Unlikely. He has not had this conversation yet with myself in any of our Forces. You are the first to know this information as you are the brightest and the strongest of heart." 

Hartley sighed in amusement. "I suppose I can try and find words Barry would understand when attempting to explain some of this to him. But, not right this moment ... " 

His body spasmed as the largest amount of energy flowed into him, more like a dam breaking. 

"Let your body relax, dearest. Open yourself to this new wave of healing energies." 

"But ... " he knew the risks. Too much at once can surely kill him, or worse, disintegrate him. 

"Our Force Master has gained the full energies of all six of his companions, all working in harmony and at its strongest. Incredible, really, especially since the others have not awakened yet. Enough talk for now. I will remain here to monitor the flow." 

Trusting in her words, Hartley let himself fall prey to the new healing energies, incredibly strong, intense, yet soothing. 

\----------------------------------------------

THUD 

"Ow!" 

Pushing himself up into a sitting position, Barry leaned against the side of the bed, blinking his eyes open. Again, he doesn't see much aside from that mixture of strange, yet comforting, green lights. 

"Are you alright?" 

Barry had to think about that question for a moment before he could respond. However, it was Hartley that responded from the bed above. 

"He's fine. I have never known for him to not fall out of any sort of bed." 

Legs dangled down next to him as his friend sat up. 

"Have you never considered how I end up on the floor each morning?" Barry growled. 

"Meh, details are not important." Hart lightly kicked him. 

"Asshole," Barry muttered as he stood up. Turning, he found the source of the voice from moments ago. 

"Gideon! Hey, how are you? Where are we?" Barry grinned at seeing his familiar friend. 

"You know her?" Hartley inquired, sounding quite surprised. 

"Course I do," Barry told him. "Gideon's been the Force Guardian of the Speed Force for years. I bump into her each time I accidently ... " 

"Wait ... you cannot control entering the Forces? At all?!" 

Barry blinked. "Uh, I hadn't really thought about it but the few times I entered the Speed Force were all accidental, like that one time when a black hole appeared over the City and ... " 

He paused to take in the sight of Hartley before him. "How is it that you are here? This is my Force, outsiders don't even know about this place, let alone can enter it." 

Hartley blinked but it was the Force Guardian that answered. 

"You are both here in the Healing Force, Barry Allen. The Healing Force is currently Hartley's Force until the true bearer has fully awaken, and his own Natural Force has come to light. Not that it matters as Hartley has full access to the Healing Force until such time he no longer exists." 

Barry blinked. "Hart is a Force user?!" 

"Yes." 

"This is perfect!" Barry's eyes lit right up as his thoughts rambled along. 

"It is?" Hartley asked skeptically but Barry ignored the teasing tone. 

"Of course! Think about it, you can be my dedicated sidekick ... " 

"BARRY!" Hartley snapped in that tone that always froze Barry in mid-sentence. "I am NOT your sidekick nor am I going out there looking like I'm on my way to a comic convention in full costume. No, thank you." 

"But ... " 

Hartley groaned. "Barry, I don't have the kinds of abilities that you have. I'm more of a sidelines, support type of unit that has access to a really fancy med-kit. Even with some of that accelerated healing, there's no possible way I'll survive the middle of a cross-fire. That's your job. You distract the enemy, they hit you, I can take them out from afar if needed, but I mainly handle the comms and patch you up afterward. Got it?" 

"Fine!" Barry huffed but he understood what his friend was saying, especially when he explained in gaming terms. A thought came to mind. 

"Wait ... I already have Cisco on the comms and Caitlin to patch me up. What makes you so damn special?" 

"Honestly," Hartley muttered. Barry noticed the scowl but it was their special scowl. He also noticed the wince, a painful one, as his friend got up off the bed. 

"Hey, you okay?" he reached for Hart's arm as the other stumbled, steadying him. 

"Yeah, fine," Hartley straightened up. "Long day." 

"Hmm," Barry didn't quite believe him so he wrapped his arms around Hart, pulling him in close. "Yeah, sure was. Maybe we should get you home." 

"Mmmhmm" was all his friend said. 

After a few moments of holding, nuzzling, breathing with the mingling of energies, Barry felt something very odd ... a twitch, from between his legs, and not _his_ twitch. 

"Uh, Hart?" 

Pulling the back of Hartley's shirt up a bit, Barry grazed his nails along the lower back. The skin shuddered at the touch, and Hart hissed lightly. Intrigued, he lowered his hand until it dipped beneath the waistband of the pants and sunk his nails into the soft flesh. 

Hartley jumped and nearly knocked him over. "Damnit, Barry, not now!" 

"What ... " Barry didn't know how to form the question, or any thought for that matter. He was stunned beyond belief. Instead, he pressed a palm to Hart's chest and, snatching up some of his friend's unique energies, he peered inward and saw a lot of healthy organs, veins, muscles, everything. 

Pulling out, he blinked. "There's no ... no ... not possible. Definitely not possible." 

"It is possible, Barry Allen," Gideon commented. "As you slept, your maximum healing energies, combined with those of Hartley's, has eliminated the Dark Force completely. It will still be some time before his body settles into a more normal state." 

"Tingly?" Barry asked. 

Hartley nodded. "Right down to my toes but only because I have weight on them." 

"Hmm," Barry leaned in and licked behind Hart's ear. As expected, the other arched away and he received that piercing look that threatened his very life. He chuckled. 

"Okay, that really wasn't a fair test as you were already fully functional there," he lightly rubbed the dampened area. "However," Barry grinned as he lowered his hand and ... 

... very quickly found himself lying on his back, blinking up, wondering what the hell had just happened. 

Hartley smirked. "As I was saying, this isn't exactly the time nor the place for your excessive neediness." 

"Are you sure you don't want to be on the frontlines with me?!" Barry asked incredulously as he stood up. 

"Positive. I much prefer watching your backside." 

"I really don't understand how you can focus on anything considering whenever you watch my backside, you end up poking me with new tech soon as we get home!" Barry growled, falling neatly into their familiar banter. 

"Honestly." 

Both boys looked up and toward the Force Guardian as it was Gideon who spoke that one exasperated word. 

"I do believe your visit has come to an end. If you need me, make sure you're near death before coming to visit again, preferably unconscious." 

With a motherly smile full of warmth and a twinkle in her eye, Gideon sent them back down to world below. 

\----------------------------------------------

He flopped down on his own bed, relieved at being back in familiar surroundings again. As much as he was intrigued by the realm of the Healing Force, the bed there was nowhere near as comfortable as his own. He let out a very pleasurable moan. 

"Honestly, one would think you haven't seen your bed in quite some time with the way you're acting." 

Barry grinned at that comment. It's true, he hasn't been in his own bed for awhile. Well, not since ... hmm ... Hartley on Monday, Leonard on Tuesday. Wednesday he was at the Labs. Thursday he doesn't remember. Same with Friday although he does recall being out on Flash duty and sleeping in some bed, some place. Saturday he was on the floor of someone's room before dashing off to the Labs. Then he was hanging around the Healing Force for who knows how long. 

"My bed, comfy." 

"I still cannot fathom what could possibly make your tiny bed _comfy_ ," Hartley shook his head in amusement heading over to the bedside panel. 

"Mmm," was all Barry said as he watched his friend check over the security feeds. 

After a few moments, Hartley nodded. "Nothing out of the ordinary. I should che..ack!" 

Barry took that moment to lean up and latch his arms around Hartley's waist, pulling him down onto the bed. He rolled so that Hart was on the other side of the bed with Barry nestled on top of his friend. 

"Mmm," Barry repeated. "My bed, now more comfy." 

"Barry," Hartley hissed but didn't push him away, which Barry noticed, quite happily. "Why the hell do you always flop over on me?" A slight wiggle but nothing more. 

Barry giggled as he slid fingers under Hart's shirt. "I like it, you love it, and you actually know the word _flop_!" He adjusted himself so he had a leg between Hart's, for easier hand roaming action. 

"Course I do, I just don't normally descend to your level of vocabularissss," that ended in a hiss as Barry plucked a nipple. 

Laying himself down more comfortably, Barry leaned in to lick the side of Hart's neck. He grinned at the shudder of skin and whatever pleasurable sound that came forth that also had a hint of annoyance to it. Barry had to admit, he adored that particular sound. He loves it when his friend gets annoyed, and Barry takes great pride in penetrating that annoyance, in more ways than one. 

Right now, it's penetration through the use of his fingers on his friend's nipples. Lightly grazing, pressing, flicking, soft rolling, pinching. First one nipple then over to the other. 

"Barry! Fuck's sake! Damnit!" 

Again, Hart didn't push him away. Again, Barry licked his neck, and again. He then pressed his lips to the damp skin and sucked lightly. A couple more licks, another suck, then grazed his teeth along that one particular spot he was focusing on. The neck involuntarily shifted away. 

"You do recall I'm extra tender righ .... " Hartley cut himself off and groaned. Barry giggled at the choice of wording. "You know what? Roast me, see if I care." The sigh of defeat was pure music to Barry's ears. That, plus the physical feeling of Hartley's ankles wrapping around one of his, holding the speedster in place. 

"Mmm, I love tender," Barry leaned up and whisked Hart's shirt off. "Tender is extra tasty." To prove his comment, he leaned down and provided a lavish amount of attention to the other's nipples. 

So attuned was he to his companion, Barry felt every wince, wiggle, shudder, flicker of both skin and muscle, and felt each breath as well as heard it. He concentrated on each of his own nips, nibbles, stroke of tongue, lick, suck and tiny bites, how each one is felt by his friend, and made adjustments to pressure and intensity accordingly. 

He made a mental note to thank Len for his increased scrutiny of another person's body. Sure, Barry has always been careful with Hartley during all these years, but he gained an entire new level of awareness during his own time spent at the hands of Len and Mick. Plus, the new level of Healing ability has certainly helped as well. 

"Gack!" 

Hart nearly screamed at one particular bite, arching up a bit. Barry just grinned as he lapped at the swollen nipple. He knew his friend was fine, based on the breathing, and the growing bruise he can feel on his own ankle that was still trapped. 

"Care ... to ... give those ... a rest?!" Hartley panted out, clearly in agony. 

Barry blew warm air on the nipple he was currently ministrating to, and sighed. "If I must," he growled and sat up, scanning his eyes across the delectable form beneath him. "S'pose there're more juicy areas that need attention." 

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you're so disappointed in that," Hartley rolled his eyes. 

"Never!" Barry declared as he freed his ankle and adjusted himself, clamping both hands down on both wrists, holding them on either side of Hartley's head. "Got the other side of your neck to devour." 

How he adored Hartley's burst of laughter as Barry gave the side of Hart's neck his full attention, marking him up with a few bruises. Laughter is rare in his friend and Barry delighted in pulling out each laugh, giggle, pleasurable sound. Each hiss, gasp, groan, moan are all included in those wonderful sounds. 

Barry savoured another burst of victory as he elicited an impressive gurgling moan that was part groan, part hiss, part gasp, all rolled into one ... all because he settled his own groin on top of the other. No words came but he certainly felt the press as Hart jutted his hips upward; whether inadvertently, a twitch, a spasm, or on purpose, Barry couldn't tell but he enjoyed it just the same and pressed down again. 

Leaning upward, hands still on wrists, groin pressing down more heavily, Barry grinned down at his partner, watching as all the feelings flickered across his face and in the eyes, whenever they happen to blink open. 

"Gods, you don't realise just how _desirable_ you are, perfect in all the right ways." He licked his lips soon as those pretty green eyes regained focus. 

He received a snort and a smirk in response. "You're just biased." 

"Be that as it may, it's the truth ... my truth. My Hart. Never letting you go again." 

Shifting again, Barry made quick work of Hartley's jeans and, well, okay, he _may_ have cheated a bit by phase-yanking the jeans off but really, who's paying attention? 

Running fingers lightly over the slit, Barry was immediately blasted with rapid-fire curse words in a language he couldn't identify, mixed in with very explicit sounds, and ... grunting? That was ... 

Snapping upward and half turning around, he spotted Mick standing in the doorway, arms crossed, looking very scowly, giving him that intense predatory look that Mick is famous for. Unable to say anything, unable to move, unable to even breathe, Barry watched in slow motion as Mick strolled over to his dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out _his_ wallet. Mick captured his eyes again as he slowly backed out of the room, smirked and closed the door over. 

"You would think he would know to actually close the door completely rather than leaving it ajar like that?" 

Hartley's voice kickstarted his body back into functioning mode again. 

"You also realise you let a thief steal your wallet?" 

Barry groaned at the absurdity of the situation, at what just occurred. 

"You used STAR Labs security locks on your top drawer, didn't you?" A very accurate accusation. 

"Honestly," Hartley laughed. Barry groaned in agony again. 

Flopping down in embarrassment, his knee accidently struck Hart's penis which caused another string of profanity. 

Reaching down in curiosity, Barry fingered the slit again and received all the right sounds, all the right movements, all the right shudders as he squeezed lightly. Removing his hand, he listened to all the gasps and pants, the continued attempts to regain some air. All sounded normal, as they should. He tasted his fingers only to find nothing but Hart's natural scent on them. 

He rested a palm on Hart's abdomen and peered inward. 

"Wha ... what is it?" 

"Dunno," Barry spoke softly as he looked around, seeing all the tissues, muscles, everything. Pulling his gaze out, he sighed. "You feeling okay?" 

Hartley immediately gained that thinking look. "Yes, although tingly which is to be expected. Hmm, a bit raw also." 

Barry nodded. "You're dry. Guess it'll be awhile yet before you start flowing again." 

Hartley sighed. "Not unexpected. It's infinitely beyond what I expected, just having my body feel like my own again, untarnished by the dark parasites. Flow is unimportant in the grand scheme of things." 

"True," Barry agreed as he stroked Hart's thigh. "Will need to be careful for awhile yet. Once your body settles into a more normal state, we can investigate your lack of output more thoroughly." 

"Ah, so you were listening back there," Hartley teased. 

"Course I was," Barry growled at him and pinched the skin, earning a very nice sounding hiss. "Your safety is always of the utmost importance, the highest of top priority, always at the forefront of my mind." 

He grinned mischivously down at his partner and spoke in that husky tone he knew always went straight to Hartley's core, "Once safety is done, I always proceed to torment you in every way imaginable, performing every unimaginable task of forcing out of you all those hundreds of different sounds you make and making sure you know exactly who is making you elicit those sounds while squirming beneath your precious tormentor as I ravage your body with my hands, fingers, lips, tongue, teeth ... " Barry put words into action as he grazed his teeth up along Hartley's ribs, nipping at various intervals, more bruises forming. 

More fancy cursing, a lot more wiggling, way more hissing, and Barry couldn't be more happier. 

\----------------------------------------------

"CCPD, how may I direct your call?" 

Kenneth sounded bored as he answered the phone. As an officer, he always found it boring being on phone duty rather than on patrol duty. However, Clements was out that day due to it being his daughter's physio day, and it was Ken's turn at the phones. He really doesn't mind taking his turn at the phones but when seven of the calls in the past hour were nothing but pocket-dialing, he always grew frustrated. Although, there was that one call from a kid who wanted an officer to come by to repair his Pokéball because he didn't want his Pidgey to escape. Guess the kid wasn't old enough to walk down to the virtual Pokémon Lab down by the Library. 

Kenneth focused his attention back on the caller as he held the phone away from his ear. 

"YES! CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THIS THE CCPD?" 

"Yes M'am, can you speak a bit quieter, please?" Definitely an elder lady, Kenneth grinned as she rattled on, thankful that she toned it down a bit. 

"Oh good! I'm so glad there is someone minding the phones. I tell ya, there were other times I would call in, and those of my neighbours and none of us could get through. There was even one time I called and the rude one on the phone sighed and hung up on me." 

That startled Kenneth. Who could possibly hang up on a call? Sure, everyone took their turns at the phones, and there have been calls where even he would have loved to hang up on but it was standard precinct protocol to pay attention to and document every single call, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time. 

"I'm dreadfully sorry that ... " 

"Not your fault, deary. That one had an air of arrogance, I could tell by that sigh. Your tone is clearly helpful and much wiser than that other one. But enough about that. I'm calling in a Nuisance Alert." 

Kenneth blinked. "There's a disturbance in your building, M'am?" 

"Yes! A very nuisance of a boy is back, again! Creating a ruckus. My neighbours don't sleep when he's around and he's always very loud, rude, and constantly banging on the boys' door across the hall." 

"Sure thing, M'am. If you'll give me the address, I can send someone right over." Kenneth held his pencil ready and before he knew it, he was writing down the address of Barry Allen's building. 

"The boys in question ... " Kenneth began. 

"Yes! That fine CSI boy and his partner who is back in town again. I do believe he's back at the police station again?" 

Kenneth grinned, knowing the lady was referring to Hartley. "Yes, M'am, and mighty pleased he's back. We'll have someone sent out right away." 

"Good, good!" 

Kenneth hung up the phone when the other signed off. He heard the throat clear behind him and turned to address the Captain. 

"Disturbance over at Barry's place, Cap." 

"Of course there is," the Captain sighed and glanced up at the clock. Kenneth noticed it was nearly 5:00pm. "Grab Jackson and meet me over there." 

"Sure thing, Boss." Catching the attention of the rookie Jennings who just came in for the night shift, he relinquished his phone duties and darted off to find Jackson. He caught the Captain's voice from behind him as the other called out to the two CSIs still left in the building. 

"Jacks!" Kenneth found his partner by the copier and glancing at his cell phone. "Boss wants us over to Allen's place." 

"Hmm, with the noise I'm sure they get up to each night, I'm surprised we don't get more disturbance calls," Jackson replied as he pocketed his phone. 

Kenneth grinned and stole a quick kiss and a fondle. "Y'd think, huh? Let's go. Sooner we take care of this, sooner we get off." 

"I do love the way you talk," Jackson grinned back, reaching out to drag his fingernails along the crack of those deep blue CCPD standard uniform pants. 

As much as they care for Allen, Kenneth really wanted to haul Jacks into the supply room. Still, duty has to always come first. However, that didn't prevent Jacks from fondling him into a full erection while en-route to Allen's building, although Kenneth did nearly run a red light soon as he felt the cool air on his cock. 

Arriving, he settled his breathing down as he did up his pants again, with Jacks' fingers in his mouth. The last thing Kenneth wanted was any sign of their ... uh ... activity appearing on his uniform. 

"Let's go," he squeaked out and left the squad car, Jackson chuckling behind him. 

\----------------------------------------------

A heavy thudding at the door caught the pyro's attention. 

A repeated heavy thudding at the door followed by some profanity, greatly irritated the pyro. 

"Christ, fuck, keep it down, I'm c'ming," Mick growled, looking through Barry's wallet as he headed to the door. 

He hauled out a VISA just as he unlocked the door. 

He cursed loudly as the door banged open, sending both the card and wallet flying. "Bloody hell, all ye d'livery guys dis pushy?" 

Mick blinked as the smaller guy attempted to push him backward then landed a few punches. Mick just held his ground, unmoving. 

"Mind telling me what the fuck you're doing here?" 

Mick blinked again. "Yer no d'livery guy. Who the blazes are ya?" 

"Honestly, I really must educate Allen on the importance of proper security locks. I swear he uses locks made out of Lego." The younger guy let out an exasperated sigh. 

Mick didn't flinch when the other hauled out a police standard revolver and stabbed it in his chest. He was mighty curious as to who, or what, this prick is. 

"Now then. I am an officer of the CCPD and it is fully within my rights to arrest you for trespassing, theft, verbally abusing an officer ... " 

Mick thrusted his hand out and gripped the other's shirt, earning a gasp in the process. 

" ... definitely adding assaulting an officer to the list. Care to add anymore?" 

Mick couldn't believe it. The cheeky bastard actually raised an eyebrow at him, challenging _him_! Uncaring about the revolver still pressed into his chest, Mick slammed the other against the wall. Repeatedly. 

He grinned his delicious grin at hearing each thud, at hearing each failed protest, at hearing each groan, at hearing ... 

"Rory! Enough!" 

The order came loud and clear, and very growly. He snorted and pulled the intruder away from the wall, shook him, and tossed the skinny ass across the room. 

"CAPTAIN!" the skinny one yelled as he clambered to his feet. "I came in to check up on Barry and this criminal was looting the place! See the wallet?" 

Mick ignored him and picked up the VISA from the floor. He also barely took notice of two other guys entering the apartment and the two officers in full uniform standing in the hall. 

"Jimmy! Pipe down, already," the Captain growled out. 

"Oh good! You fine lads arrived rather quickly," another voice entered the mix and Mick recognised it as Mrs Cleary from across the hall. "That boy has been quite the nuisance this past month, always banging and cussing up a storm, making quite the ruckus at all hours of the night." 

"What're you guys doing here?" Jimmy asked of the two other guys. 

"Wouldn't miss the chance at seeing Barry's apartment," the younger one, Mick recalled him as the kid from the precinct. 

The other CSI roamed around the apartment. 

The two officers clearly didn't know what to do although, one really looked flushed and twitchy. 

The Captain groaned in frustration. 

"Uh, one of you order pizza?" 

Mick focused his entire attention on the newly arrived pizza guy ... guys actually, as there were fifteen large boxes and three guys to carry them. 

"Since you're here, Captain, I'd love to see you for a minute. Come with me, deary." 

Mick saw Mrs Cleary head back to her own apartment as the kid and the other guy retrieved the boxes while one of the pizza guys scanned the VISA. Looking through the wallet, he saw a few small bills but also three fifties. Hauling the large bills out, he handed one to each pizza guy as a tip. Each seemed stunned by the amount but he paid it no mind. 

"Thanks," he grunted out and grinned as he saw Fireball rest himself on the Captain's shoulder. The pizza guys left. 

The Captain gave orders to the two officers. "Kenneth! Jackson! Take Jimmy back to the station and fill out some of that paperwork." 

"Caaaaaaap!" The prick, Jimmy whined. 

"Not another word, Jimmy!" the Captain barked out so strongly that even Mick nearly flinched. "I don't want to receive another Disturbance Call regarding you again, so go back to the damn station!" 

Mick caught sight of Hartley standing just outside the bedroom door, leaning up against the wall, watching everything, as Jimmy slithered out the door with the two officers in tow. 

Fireball mewed. 

"Right, I need to check in with Mrs Cleary to make sure she's okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." 

Mick grunted as the Captain disappeared across the hall then turned toward his preferred kind of chaos: the utter destruction of fifteen pizzas with the works. 

\----------------------------------------------

Silence. Blessed, glorious silence! 

Captain David Singh exhaled a sigh of relief as the door to Mrs Cleary's apartment shut behind him. Absentmindedly, he reached up to scritch at the bizarre looking kitten on his shoulder that was purring and nuzzling into his neck. 

An amused chuckle brought his attention to the lady herself. 

"Quite the bunch over there, right Captain?" 

David rolled his eyes. "You have no idea, M'am." 

With a final nuzzle, Fireball hopped down. David continued, "I do apologise for ... " 

Mrs Cleary interrupted him. "Oh, hush. It's not your fault that boy has been disrupting the entire building. Ol' Sellers above me, now, he's deaf as a doornail and I can hear him cussin' everytime that boy comes around. Mrs Tierney lives above the boys and she can never sleep when that boy comes around. When the boys are in, she sleeps mighty fine but not when that rude boy comes around. Although, with that pizza party in full swing now, I imagine Mrs Tierney will be along any minute to play some cards. Maybe we'll get some of the others in and have a party of our own." She chuckled as she led him to the spare bedroom. 

Soft mewing caught his ears and David looked down at two small kittens, one a cream colour, the other a darker shade. Both looked up at him in interest. The one with the red markings nuzzled the two and within moments they were all sniffing around his ankles. Another feline, the mum most likely, watched on. 

"MARGIE! I'ma comin' right in!" A female voice hollered from the doorway along with the rattling of bags. 

"Mrs Tierney, as expected," Mrs Cleary laughed lightly as she began putting a bag together full of random items that included bowls, small blankets, toys, comb and brush, shampoo, clippers, amongst others. 

The larger feline finally came over to sniff around his ankles then sat in front of him and mewed. David knew an order when he heard one, and knelt down. The feline nuzzled his open palm and licked it. She mewed again and repeated the same action to each of the two smallest kittens. 

"I am so pleased my Scratches is approving of you, Captain," Mrs Cleary spoke as she zipped up the bag then retrieved a piece of paper and envelope off the dresser, pressing both to his chest. "This here is the list of their favourite foods and their current preferred sleeping times. Inside the envelope are their papers, the shots they've had so far, what they still need to get, allergies and the likes." 

David blinked. Was Mrs Cleary ... 

"Oh, and might I also say Congratulations!" Mrs Cleary beamed radiantly up at him. "That Doc of yours is one mighty fine boy. I should know, my younger sister's daughter raised him just right. Imagine, having the best police Captain in the entire country enter the family, made the entire clan happy I tell you." 

Ushering the kittens into a carrier that had a really soft lining and cushioned flooring, Mrs Cleary led him back out to the main area of the apartment. Mrs Tierney had already cleared the table and was preparing the snacks for their game night. 

David still hadn't gotten a chance to say much of anything as Mrs Cleary rambled on about Rob and the "clan". 

"Oh! You're that fine Captain, aintcha?" Mrs Tierney glanced up from the cheese tray. 

Mrs Cleary beamed again. "Yes, Agnes, this is the one that's marrying my boy! He chased off that bugger moments ago." 

"Bout darn time summin nailed that prick!" Another neighbour entered the apartment. 

Both ladies gasped in mock horror. "Joyce! Language!" 

"What? 's true aint'it?" Joyce settled her burden down on the table and started unloading the cards, dice, various playing pieces, pencils and papers. 

Mrs Tierney spoke up again. "It's true, Cap. Mighty fine thing you did. We're all fine but there have been nights where sleep was near impossible and were making some of us cranky. I was so tired one day that I forgot to check in on Ol' Sellers across from me for his 10:00am medication. Mighty nasty that afternoon when ... well, I won't get into the details but that was a big laundry day, let me assure you." 

Joyce snorted. "I live right below the boys and that one was always so loud thumping up the stairs and banging on their door. Don't like his attitude nor his looks. Smells like trouble. Now, when the boys are in, never a hassle. Never a hassle either when their dashingly handsome friend comes around and it's been a mighty blessing these past couple weeks when their brutish friend is around." 

"Fixed my stove and electrical wiring, he did!" Mrs Cleary draped a bag on David's wrist which smelled surprisingly like cookies. 

"Fixed my plumbing and refrigerator," Mrs Tierney added. 

"Fixed the loose floorboards in both my apartment and hallway, along with sturdying up them stairs." Joyce nodded. "That one is mighty fine and is always welcome in our building." 

The other two chorused her sentiment. Soft mewing entered the mix. 

"Oh dear me, we're keeping you waiting," Mrs Cleary ushered David toward the door. "The kitties are in need of a feeding and sleeping. I have in the bag enough food to tie them over for tonight. I'll have that energetic boy zip on over with the larger bag tomorrow. Be sure to send my greetings to your Doc for me and make sure he gets them cookies. He always did adore my cookies!" 

David blinked and barely got out a "Thank you ... " before he was ushered back out into the hallway with two bags in one arm and the kitten carrier in the other. It was a few moments before he collected himself enough to venture back across the hall. 

Peering inside the still-open door, David saw what he expected: pizza boxes spread all over the place. Rory was fiddling around with the remote, Hart was arguing with Allen about the importance of a napkin, Calvin was inhaling a slice when he accidently got hit with Allen's elbow as the other was holding his own slice away from Hart during the argument, Gagne was the quietest one as he looked over messages on his phone. 

Mewing caught the elder CSI's attention and he looked up. 

"Right," David began then wondered what to say. He glanced back at Mrs Cleary's door and a thought hit him. He spoke to Gagne seeing as the others were oblivious to his presence. 

"I'm leaving you two here as building security," David took note of Gagne's dutiful nod. "Just for tonight. Some of the residents don't sleep too well whenever Jimmy has been around. Knowing you guys are here, they'll feel safer." 

"Understood, Boss," Gagne replied. "I'll make sure we check around the building throughout the night. Make sure everyone is well." 

David nodded. "Good. Make sure the ladies get one of those boxes, will you?" He indicated Mrs Cleary's apartment and Gagne grinned. 

"Definitely. Have a good night, Captain." 

With a nod, David left. Apparently, he has new furballs demanding his attention and mewing orders at him. He wondered how in the world he could possibly live with three needy, demanding creatures in his house; he was already marrying one of them. 

He sighed, but in a pleasant way, as he descended the stairs and exited the building. He planned on having a long talk with Rob about family. 

\----------------------------------------------

Leonard settled himself in his favourite chair and waited patiently for the Hunter to speak. It's not often that Kyle wanted to discuss something important, and with the others out for the night, tonight provided the perfect opportunity to talk without interruptions. 

Earlier that evening, Leonard had checked the security feeds and felt immense relief at seeing Hartley and Barry both back in their apartment. He had worried a couple nights ago when Hartley was attacked by that Winged Beast and Barry had gotten gravely hurt. Grateful for the existence of the Healing Force, his own heart calmed when the footage revealed how they disappeared that night. Now, he's perfectly calm and happy that both of his boys are back and fully functional again. 

"Boss," Kyle's voice brought his attention to the immediate situation. "I would like to change the contract." 

Noticing the change in the Hunter's verbal speech pattern, Leonard caught sight of a tiny flicker of grey energy nestling deep within the other's eyes. Odd, he had never seen that before. 

Nodding, he inquired, "How so?" He knew this conversation had to happen eventually, he just hadn't expected the Hunter to bring it up himself. 

Without any hint of hesitancy, Kyle elaborated. "The initial contract when I came back to Central City, was to track down Hartley. I've done so, brought him home. The current contract is for me to be Hartley's bodyguard, look out for him, protect him, until such a time when he's feeling better and able to take care of himself again. That time has already come awhile ago, which effectively terminated the contract. It has never been discussed until now." 

Leonard understood the truth in Kyle's words. He had known they needed to discuss this, but it had proven difficult to find a good time to sit down and talk. That, and Leonard had to admit to himself, he really didn't want to face the possibility that Kyle could leave once the expired contract was addressed. After all, the Hunter had that full right. 

"What do you suggest?" Leonard asked. 

"A new contract," Kyle spoke confidently, knew exactly what he wanted. Leonard really appreciated this side of his friend. "A double contract, to be exact." 

That startled him as Leonard didn't know what the Hunter meant. "Oh?" 

Kyle picked up on the confusion. "Two contracts. One for public knowledge, the other more private." 

Leonard tossed the idea around in his head for a moment. "The public one would be more for what others would see, the private one just for us with the true way of things?" 

"Yes," Kyle nodded and elaborated even further. "I want the public contract to state that I am in service to you. Yes, I am a Hunter, and taking jobs is what I do, but no job can ever compare to the one I have here, being with Hartley, with you, being here. This is the job I want, to be under contract with you. You're fair and trustworthy. I like your jobs. With you, I feel confident in turning down a job if I don't like it, without fear of getting killed." 

Leonard took that in, startled at the pure intensity of that loyalty. Oh, yes, Kyle had always been loyal to him, but Leonard had never heard, nor felt, just how deeply that loyalty goes. 

"The public contract," Leonard began, hoping he understood correctly, "Having you under a more permanent contract with me, only taking on my jobs, doing anything I ask of you, that would essentially take you off the market. That would prevent others from approaching you for jobs, or anything else. Other gangs, especially those along the West side, they will view you as off-limits, just like they view Mick. Everyone knows that Mick is mine. You want them to know that you belong to me as well." 

"Yes." Kyle beamed. 

"For security reasons, naturally." Leonard is beginning to see where this is going. 

"Yes," Kyle nodded. "Security, protection." 

Leonard nodded. "Obviously there's more to it than that. The private contract?" He had a pretty good idea what the Hunter was going to say but he really wanted him to say it. This extremely rare side of Kyle has him very intrigued. 

Kyle nodded again. "Yes. Private contract is for our eyes only. I want more control over what I do, where I go." 

That was not what Leonard expected. He hadn't thought he was being restrictive toward the Hunter's actions and movements. Kyle continued before he could comment. 

"Since being with you, I have had more freedom in my movements than in any of my other contracts, other jobs. It's part of why I feel comfortable here. You have not restricted me in any way. What I meant was, in terms of the contract, I require more control, and yes, I know I already have that." 

Leonard understood. "You want the control properly set in writing, in the event that I somehow become a real hard-case later on down the road and start reigning you in." 

"Yes!" Kyle beamed again. "In your right mind, when all is well, I have no fear of you or your actions. However ... " Kyle trailed off and Leonard picked up on it right away. 

"However, this is Central City, there are dangerous people and Metas out there that we don't yet know about. Any one of them could have the ability to alter one's personality, or cause undue stress. Hell, even without outside interference, it's very possible for something within me to snap and I lash out at you guys." He shuddered at having nearly done that to Barry a few weeks ago. "You bring up a very good point and yes, that will certainly go into writing. You're one of the very few I trust completely. In my right mind, I would never hurt or abuse you, never take you for granted. I see where you're going with this, the need for the double contract. What brought this on?" 

Kyle was pleased with his words. "I believe you and trust you as well. It's why I want to remain with you. However, the main reason is that I don't want to give up my position as Hartley's bodyguard. I don't want to leave him. The private contract would have me continue that duty and having full control in determining what I feel is the best course of action in providing that protection, keeping Hart safe." 

Of course, it is what Leonard had figured. He very much wanted to grin but he owed it to Kyle to take this discussion in the most serious way. And, if he were truly honest with himself, this really was the most serious contract he had ever had to discuss. It rated slightly higher than the one he recently had with Hartley, mainly because the Hunter's contract was to include the security required to keep Hart and the rest of them safe. 

"You want to be my Head of Security with the full freedom of movement and making decisions in our best interests. That would include tracking our movements, our actions, seeing who we interact with and conducting your own research into every single individual that crosses our paths. Others will see you as my Head of Security, under my complete jurisdiction. What they won't see is how you conduct yourself, how you protect us, along with everything else you do that nobody needs to know about." That made perfect sense to Leonard and if he tagged Kyle with the title of Head of Security, then that would make things feel more secure, more solid, more imposing. 

Kyle thought that over for a moment. "That sounds very good. I like the sound of that. My Hunter friend in Gotham holds that title on the official front. I accept!" 

"Good. I can certainly get started on the double contract. Do you have any specific requests that should go into the private contract?" Leonard immediately blinked as Kyle handed over some papers. 

"Yes. Everything is written down. I also know that contracts always need to have a termination section. I want the private contract to give Hart that control. I want to be here for as long as Hart wants me here. If such a time comes when he no longer wants me around, then I would have no need to remain." 

Kyle was definitely way smarter than most people give him credit for. Leonard felt immensely pleased at having this Hunter at his side. He also fully understood Kyle's true reason for remaining, and he didn't feel the slightest bit annoyed that the true reason really had nothing to do with him at all; Leonard was essentially just the front for a hidden operation. 

Glancing over the three sheets of papers, neatly written, each request perfectly elaborated upon, Leonard knew he wouldn't deny the Hunter anything. He may suggest improving a request, or slightly altering another that would better benefit them, or merely showing Kyle a different viewpoint of some other requests, but flat out denying? No, he would never do that. Especially not the request where Kyle wanted to take Hartley to Gotham in the new year for the charity hockey game between Gotham and Keystone. To him, that was merely an advanced notice, not a request. Leonard would never deny Kyle his intentions to travel. 

"Very well," Leonard set the papers on the table. "Everything seems in order and you clearly know what you want and your intentions. I will study your requests more closely but what I've read so far, and based on your own abilities and actions these last few months, I can assure you that you will always have a place here, at my side, under my contract, until such a time when either yourself or Hartley deem your services no longer necessary. I can promise you that I will never allow any group or individual to cause you any harm. In the event that you do become captured and forced into the services of another, I will lay waste to the entire planet to find you and bring you back home again. Also, and this is strictly private contract only, anytime I am acting like a dick, feel free to call me out on it and set me straight. I don't care how you do it, just make sure that you do." 

He leaned back in his chair again, lacing his fingers as he studied the Hunter. 

After a few moments, he got the reaction he had hoped for. Kyle Nimbus, Central City's most dangerous Bounty Hunter, laughed. 

He grinned, very pleased with knowing the Hunter, _his_ Hunter. The future was looking brighter with Kyle at his side. 

\----------------------------------------------

A few days after the Winged Beast attack, Barry found himself zipping along Central City feeling very confident with newly enhanced energies flowing through his body. Everything felt good, he felt good, he was happy. Whatever happens in the unforeseeable future, he will survive with his friends at his side. He felt his strongest with them. 

"Barry, you want to go left." Cisco's voice came over the comm, interrupting his thoughts. 

"Right," he confirmed. 

"No, LEFT!" Cisco growled. 

"Left, right, got it!" Barry zipped around the block and ended up behind his target. Normally, that would be a good thing but his target, the newest Meta Beast, literally has eyes in the back of its head, one of which shot a laser beam at him. 

Not knowing what kind of beast this one was borne from, Barry hissed as he dashed just out of range. No tail, no claws from what he could see, hasn't seen the fangs ... wait ... there they are. Barry hopped back just as a mouth full of very pointy teeth snapped at him. Glancing at the hands, paws, whatever they were, he noticed they were webbed, and so were the feet. 

"Some sort of mutant frog, perhaps?" Cisco commented. 

Based on the shape of the body, hunched over like that, Barry was inclined to agree. "I don't know of any frogs with two sets of eyes and sharp teeth." 

Hearing sirens in the distance, Barry ran in a circle around the mutant frog, building up some sparks. 

"Good idea, frogs are normally water, right? Electricity should do the trick." 

Tossing a bolt, Barry watched as it bounced off the frog. 

"Okay, maybe it's a rubber frog?" Cisco hazarded a guess. 

Barry sighed. He's really getting tired of the Beasts being a weird combination of elements that clearly contradicts what the Beasts actually are. By all laws of nature, frogs should not be immune to electricity. 

"What are the chances of these Beasts being in the next generation of Pokémon games?" Barry asked as he neatly dodged an electric ball. Great. A water Beast that is rubber, immune to electricity and has electric attacks. 

"Oh, I'm definitely adding him into our RPG and Holo Chess," Cisco awed, ignoring Barry's question. "Players won't know what hit them!" 

Based on his own gaming experience, Barry believed he had the right attack in mind. Tapping open a nearby fire hydrant, he zipped around the mutant frog, kicking up a bunch of soil and lured the frog into the Flash-made quicksand. If an opponent doesn't seem to be affected by your attacks, always resort to immobilising them. 

"Nice!" 

"Yeah, that should hold him for a bit until ARGUS gets here." Barry turned just as the first truck rolled up, and some armored agents hopped out. "Anything else on the radar?" 

"Nah, no Beasts at least," Cisco informed him. "Unless you wanna check out the burglary happening at the Pharmacy near the new fancy Italian restaurant?" 

Barry snorted. "You're just hungry." Once the Beast was secure in the truck, he did a quick clean-up of the scene and made sure the fire hydrant was sealed tight. 

"I'm a growing boy, Barry. Nourishment required!" 

"Fine, fine." Barry laughed as he zipped away down to the Central Pharmacy. 

Upon arriving, he saw two disgruntled off-duty officers halfway between the Italian restaurant and the pharmacy. Barry made quick order of the thief, tossing on the cuffs and hauled him over to Kenneth and Jackson. 

"Hi guys! Didn't mean to interrupt your dinner," he handed them an official report paper which was already filled in. "If you'll just sign this, I'll drop this one off at the precinct." 

Kenneth heaved a sigh of relief and mumbled a "Thanks" as he signed the report with Jackson co-signing it. 

"Thank you! Better get back before your dinner gets cold. Have a good night!" 

Barry zipped off to deposit the miscreant into the holding cell, the report going right to the Captain's desk. Afterward, he zipped to the restaurant and put both his friend's dinners on his card. The owner was there, pleased to see the Flash in his establishment, and saw to it himself that Barry got two orders to go. 

Cisco was immensely pleased and drooled all over his food, going on about how perfect everything tasted. Barry agreed fully as he devoured his own meal. 

Just past midnight, nothing else on the radar, Cisco nodded off in his chair and Barry wasn't sure what he wanted to do. 

Figuring on doing a quick run around the City, he did just that. 

Which is how he wound up on the North side near the Star Bridge. Head across that bridge, the road eventually curves westward and it'll take you straight to Star City. Barry has been on that road many times. 

Tonight, however, he found himself putting out a row of fires that broke out in a new housing development. Thankfully, only two houses were half completed, with another having only the framing done. Easily enough redone without too much building material wasted. Nobody was injured as those were the first three homes being built. 

He was about to zip away when a boomerang sliced through the arm of his suit. He spun around to see its return but failed to move fast enough before the boomerang sliced along his arm again. 

Barry cursed as he attempted to move away but tripped over some sort of invisible wire. Definitely wire as that same boomerang circled around him, clipping at his suit and he felt himself tightening up. He tried to phase but found that he couldn't. 

"Oh, c'mon!" he growled. "Enough with the dampeners already." 

"And end our fun? Come now, Flash, we wouldn't want you to get bored with how easy you can get away." 

Two figures came into view and Barry groaned as he lost his balance and fell down. 

"Nice boomerang," he commented while wiggling to free himself. "Nice touch with adding the wires. Did you browse through a certain someone's notes to come up with that idea?" Barry gasped as the wires tightened even more, feeling them cutting into his skin. 

Digger Harkness scowled and Barry felt the anger in that kick to his gut. He always found that the brutish Aussie had a very foul temper. 

"Easy, big fella. We know you have brains and one of the smartest ones in the group. If you weren't, you wouldn't be around, hear?" 

Digger snorted and retrieved his boomerang, releasing it from the wire which had snapped securely around Barry. 

"Y'sure 'bout dis, mate?" 

"Of course I'm sure, otherwise we wouldn't be here now, would we?" Mark Mardon knelt down next to Barry and tapped his wand along an arm. "Now then, Barry. You're looking a bit torn up. How about we get you home and tend to your injuries, maybe get you a new suit, hmm?" 

Barry blinked as he stared into Mardon's eyes, seeing that smirk, wondering how the hell he knew that Barry was the Flash? 

Digger laughed and Mardon glanced back at him. 

"You're finally starting to get into this, eh _mate_?" Mardon growled. "Hurry up and carry him back to the van." 

"Uh, I don't suppose we can talk about this here?" Barry hissed as another wiggle caused the wire to dig painfully into his right thigh, a little too close for comfort. 

"Got sumtin to close 'is trap?" Digger hauled him to his feet just as Mardon approached with some sort of gag. "Ah, beautiful!" Digger lit right up as the ball gag was shoved in and attached. 

"More where that came from," Mardon chuckled and headed for the van. Digger hauled Barry up over his shoulder and followed. 

Oh, great. Abducted by two Rogues and once again without his powers. Barry groaned in frustration, wondering why the hell he's always a target. Sure, he definitely doesn't mind when two Rogues kidnap him and haul him off, but Mardon and Digger were not the Rogues he was looking for. Another groan as he mentally kicked himself; thankfully he wouldn't be seeing another Star Wars movie until next year's marathon. 

Once he thudded into the van, Mardon appeared with wand in hand. "One more thing before we go." Sparks appeared, a lot of them, which normally wouldn't bother Barry much but again, without his powers, they were enough to tackle just the right areas to render him unconscious. 

\----------------------------------------------

Pulling up to the Base, Mark hummed as he got out of the van. Setting those fires had been one of his better ideas yet, and he was quite pleased with what's to come. 

"Ya really, really sure 'bout dis?" Digger asked again. "What if da Boss finds out?" 

"What the _Boss_ doesn't know, won't hurt us," Mark snapped at his friend. "I already told you. It's not like we're actually gonna hurt him." 

"I dunno," Digger sighed and hauled the van door open. "Ain't he one of Hart's playthings?" 

"Of course, which gives us the full right to play with his toy. Rogues are supposed to share, right?" 

Mark grinned as various ideas rolled through his head. He quickly found himself hardening at seeing the Flash ... Barry Allen lying unconscious, at seeing all the exposed skin where the wire had cut through his suit. Seeing one intriguing slice, he ran his finger along the flesh so very close to where he really wanted to run his fingers. However, the speedster's cock will just have to wait. There's the order of business to follow first. 

"Mmm," Mark licked his fingers and shuddered in anticipation. "Get him inside. Sooner we get started, sooner we'll all be happy." 

"Kid, too?" Digger asked as he hauled Barry over his shoulder. 

"If Axel wants a piece of him, then who am I to deny him a part of the action? He's nearly seventeen, old enough to make his own decisions." 

"Except when they contradict your orders," Digger snorted and immediately followed that up with a chuckle. 

Mark had to laugh at that comment, recalling a time when the kid was being a brat and wouldn't settle down no matter how many times they ordered him to shut up. Scudder was especially annoyed as one of his mirrors had gotten smashed so he sent the pieces flying at the kid, securing him down on the floor. Seeing an opportunity, Mark had shoved his wand up the kid's ass and unleashed a watery torrent. Poor kid was sitting on the toilet for nearly a week after that. 

He now wondered what he would unleash when he rammed his wand up the Flash's ass. Based on the rumours he's heard, the speedster would likely enjoy anything he shoved up there. 

"Hey! Whatcha got there? Can I have a look? Can I? Can I? Where ya find him?" Speaking of the kid, Axel Walker nearly pounced them when they entered the building. 

Mark shoved him out of the way. "Simmer down, brat. This toy is for adults only. You're not an adult." 

"Awww, c'mon buddy, I gotta share in on this, please?" Axel always whined when he doesn't get what he wanted. For that matter, Axel always whined, period. 

Mark sighed. "Dump 'im in the middle," he told Digger as Roscoe looked up from his book and hurried to shove the table out of the way. 

"What's this?" Roscoe Dillon asked, nudging his foot against Barry's side. 

"Entertainment for tonight," Mark smirked. "Where's Sam?" 

"Here." Sam Scudder materialised out of a mirror with a duffel bag. "Was out getting some new supplies." 

Mark grinned. He hadn't specified what the entertainment would be but, before he and Digger left, he had sent Sam out on a supply run for the _good stuff_ , knowing full well that Sam would know exactly what to get. He could always trust Sam, preferring to pair up with him on missions. 

"Hey, Spinny, watch yer foot. Wire likely cut right through ya," Digger warned his own mission partner. 

"How many times do I gotta tell ya to stop calling me Spinny?" Roscoe spat out. 

"Ye twirl faster than Mardon's twister, name suit's ya, mate," Digger laughed. "Seriously, watch yer foot." 

Roscoe snorted and pulled his foot back, noticing a new tear in his sock. 

Barry groaned and slightly moved; Mark figured he'd be awake very shortly. Glancing around, he caught something shiny in the kid's hand. 

"What's that you got there?" 

Axel handed over the band. "Isn't this neat? Found it in Hart's room. Seeing as his security system had been deactivated since that Beast attack, I was scrounging around seeing what I could find and there's a lot of really cool stuff in there that would be quite useful for tonight's entertainment. This was under a notebook and the pages indicated that this was some sort of Meta Dampener Band and it goes on the wrist ... " Axel retrieved the band and snapped it on Barry's wrist. " ... like so! Just like those wires of Diggy's, we have ourselves a powerless Flash!" 

Mark knelt down to admire the band and noticed there was no visible clasp of any sort. Interesting. "Nice find, kid." 

Axel beamed. "Thought you might like that! Can I join in tonight? Can I? Can I?" 

Mark had already decided earlier that Axel can join in but he really does enjoy hearing the kid beg. In fact, he always enjoyed hearing anyone beg, especially when he can provide them with what they want. 

"Dunno," he told the eager youngster. "If you behave and prove yourself useful, might let you get in a lick or two." 

"Yesssss!" With a fist pump to the air in victory, Axel promptly sat down on the couch with his legs crossed beneath him. Mark couldn't help but roll his eyes in amusement. 

Seeing as everyone required was present tonight, he stood up to get the party started. 

"Alright, here's how this is gonna work," Mark began, catching the eyes of each of his friends. Axel was eager, Roscoe was curious, Digger snorted, Sam had that delicious devilish grin that Mark adored so much. "Me and Digg know who the Flash is but you three haven't had the chance to find out yet." 

"How'd ya find out, Mardon?" Roscoe asked. 

"Hartley accidently let that info slip out last time he was here. I've been figuring out what to do with that information and decided this was the best course of action ... well, the most enjoyable one at least." Mark chuckled, feeling grateful that Hart was not planning on visiting that night. He figured the kid wouldn't like tonight's entertainment very much. 

Sam frowned. "How did Hart know? I know he's a bright guy but finding out the true identities of other Metas and all those other vigilantes is no easy feat." 

Mark snickered, knowing the answer to that question. "Seems our boy has been _mighty interested_ in Central City's finest super hero. As for how long, who can say? Likely since we were all blasted by that Accelerator." 

"Wait a minute," Roscoe spoke up. "Yer sayin' ya captured Hart's plaything?" 

Mark sighed at the echoed hesitation. "Hart's a Rogue, we're Rogues, we share our conquests, right?" 

Axel was nodding his head eagerly. Digger snorted. Sam's grin grew wider. Roscoe sighed and nodded. 

"Right then," Mark continued once he gained everyone's approval. "As I was saying, you three don't yet know so you'll get to have a turn first. Once we get him trussed up nicely without the wires getting in the way, you'll each roll a die. Highest number goes first. However, so as not to spoil the surprise for the other two, we'll toss him in one of the rooms and you'll each do him in there. No telling the others when you're done. Twenty minutes each ... " he held up a hand to cut off Axel's groan. "Once all three of you are done, we haul him back out here for the real fun to begin." 

"Cool!" Axel sounded very, very eager. 

"Any particular rules during solo time?" Sam inquired. 

Leave it to Sam to ask the important question. "Yes. Keep him conscious and don't kill him." He watched as Sam, Roscoe and Axel grinned at the ideas now flowing through their own heads. 

Right on cue, Barry snapped his eyes open and jolted upright, only to flop back down in agonised pain. The ball gag was still stuffed in his mouth so his screams were muffled. Still didn't stop him from trying to thrash about. Mark grimaced at seeing some blood flowing onto the floor. 

"Right, then. Sam?" 

Mark watched as his partner unzipped and dumped out the contents of the duffel bag. Digger hauled out his trusty wire cutters and began snipping the wires along Barry's left arm with Roscoe holding the limb steady. 

Sam held up a metal band with a bar inserted in it. "Got four of these. Rather than going with the highly overrated leather cuffs with the buckles and rings, got these bands with the bar embedded in them. Bars are sturdier than rings and make for a tighter, closer fit." 

Mark caught the metal band that Sam tossed to him and snapped it on Barry's left wrist. A second band went on the right wrist just below the Meta Dampener. He then attached the bands to each ankle. "Any rope in there?" 

Sam shook his head. "Didn't find any that I liked at that place, nothing sturdy nor worthy enough for the occasion." Sam tossed over some clamps. "Those'll work and fit nicely in the bars. Each is a double clamp with that steel bar between them. Clamp one in, bring the limb up to the next band and snap the second one in place. Once fully secure, he won't give you any trouble." Sam chuckled as Mark and Roscoe attached the clamps. Digger removed the last piece of wire and disposed of them safely so nobody would accidently cut themselves. 

More muffled protests and Mark could see the panic in the speedster's eyes. Whether it be from the lack of powers, how his wrists had been pulled back to join his ankles, or anticipating what's to come, Mark had no idea. Possibly a combination of all three. 

"Keeping the gag on?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah," Mark responded without a second thought. "He's likely to bite and I don't want any of you getting damaged." 

"Where to?" Roscoe inquired as he stood up. 

"Hmm, the spare room is the least cluttered," Mark also got to his feet. 

Digger, being the strongest of all of them, hauled Barry up and wandered down the hallway. Mark soon heard the thuds and rattling of chains as the Aussie secured their prey into place. 

Getting out the dice, Mark handed one each to Sam, Roscoe and Axel. "Roll 'em." 

As expected, Axel got a two. Roscoe got a three and Sam a six. 

"Grrr-oan, why do I always get a two?!" Axel's whining was also expected. 

"Just be thankful you're even getting a turn, brat," Mark growled at him. "Alright, browse the bag Scudder brought and pick your toys. In order!" He snapped at Axel who had just reached for a vibrator. "Feel free to use whatever is in the room as well, just don't break anything, okay?" 

Sam grinned. He knew what he picked up and he knew exactly what he wanted to use. First order of business was to change out that blasted ball gag. They were fine and all but he much preferred those that slithered down one's throat. Hauling one such gag out, he retrieved a matching collar along with tiny little nipple vibrators. He didn't need anything else from his bag as he knows he'll find the remaining equipment within the room. 

Roscoe liked hitting things and delighted in pulling out a flogger of sorts, the kind with multiple knots in each of the leather strands. Plenty of strands, likely the twenty-four style. He also found a multi-ring cock device. Each of the three rings also had one of those bars embedded within which was perfect for the chain he hauled out as well. Will work well with the few weighted objects he found. Picking up the vibrator that Axel was aiming for, he fingered it and held it up, licking the tip. He delighted in hearing the kid's groaning. Chuckling, he tossed the vibrator at him. 

Axel seemed surprised when Roscoe tossed him the vibrator. He really liked sticking things in holes so the vibrator caught his attention right away. Rooting through the contents, he found a large plug as well, and more nipple clamps. Not having too much experience in such activities yet, aside from what's been done to him over the years, Axel kept to the devices he knew best. Other items in the bag did catch his interest, like the spreader bar, a few weird looking gags, wires attached to little black boxes, amongst other items, but he would prefer seeing those in action first before he attempted them himself. 

"All prime and ready, mates," Digger announced, coming back into the main room. Mark saw the smirk and clearly noticed the Aussie's cock threatening to poke through the unzippered jeans. He could just see a faint flicker of skin. 

"Excellent, thanks, mate!" Sam slapped Digger on the ass as he hurried down to the spare room, clicking the door shut behind him. 

Settling down in his favourite chair, Mark asked Digger, "How's he look?" 

Digger's cock twitched at the question, exposing a bit more skin. "Tasty. Did you know he has a separate zipper for his cock?" 

He arched an eyebrow at that piece of information. "Really? Thought he only had the one zipper that goes down to the waist, far enough so he can step out of the suit." 

Digger laughed. "Who says he actually steps in and out? Doesn't he do that phasing bit? I'm surprised he even has a zipper at all. Anyway, I left him on his knees which are spread so far wide, and attached chains to the bed posts, clipped into each bar to keep him from moving. Lowered his cock zipper half-way so Sam will know it's there. It'll be up to the guys whether to release him from the posts or not. His powers won't return, will they?" 

Mark shook his head. "No. I knew Hart was working on those wrist bands and their intended purpose. No possible way for any of his powers to be released as long as the band stays on." 

"Good," Digger grinned and sat down. "Very good." 

While Axel twitched impatiently, and Roscoe fingered his chain, Mark sat back and thought about what they'll do to Barry once the speedster comes back out to the main room. Will he zap him with the wand stuffed in his ass? Or fill him with ice pellets? He had always wondered what a combination would be like. He had thought about testing it out on Axel but that was a bit too extreme for the kid. Barry would be a much better, and more satisfying test subject. 

He couldn't wait for the next fifty-five minutes to pass. 

\----------------------------------------------

Clicking the door shut behind him, Sam fully hardened at seeing the Flash spread out so deliciously. He needed to remember to thank Digger for the nice display and also for drawing his attention to the reddened flesh peeking through the zipper. 

He chuckled when Flash glowered at him as he approached the bed. Reaching a hand out, he lowered the zipper the rest of the way, releasing the dripping cock. He fingered the slit. 

"Nice and eager, are we Flash?" Sam laughed as Flash failed miserably in an attempt to get away. "None of that now," he slapped the cock, splattering some of the pre-cum. "You're stuck here for the night so you may as well enjoy it. Your cock certainly is." He rubbed his thumb over the head, pressing down until another squirt came out. 

"I have always wondered just how much juice a Flash really has." 

Licking his fingers clean, Sam moved further up and found the primary zipper and pulled it down. As much as he wanted to play around with the multiple tears in the suit, he really didn't have the time. Within moments, he had Flash nearly fully exposed, only leaving the legs covered, for now. Along with the lower arms. There really was no getting the suit fully off with the way the wrists were clipped to the ankles like that. 

Sam brightened at what he saw. "Hah, always thought it was you. Will make things easier in the future anytime I need a break from the usual routine; I'll know where to find you." He laughed lightly and reached for the ball gag. 

"First order of business is get rid of this thing. Not sure about you, but I really don't much care for them. Annoying to look at. Got something much better for you." 

Soon as he pulled the ball gag off, Barry inhaled some air before speaking up. "Mind unclipping my wrists? Getting a bit uncomfortable here." 

"Hmm," Sam thought about that for a moment as he fingered the new gag. "Maybe later. For now, you can suck this down. Make sure you swallow often so you won't choke to death, k?" 

Barry rolled his eyes and Sam promptly started inserting the gag in. It was a slender tendril that got thicker the closer to the base it got. The tip slides down the back of the throat easily and he was able to get a good three inches down. It was just slender enough to allow for a tiny bit of air. Soon as the base pressed against the lips, he quickly attached the straps around the head. Tugging on the base, he let it slap back in place securely again. He felt the throat and could feel the muscles constantly working. 

"Nice. Figured you wouldn't have any problems getting anything down your throat." 

Sam gripped Barry's chin to stare into his eyes. "Now, just between you and me, only one person gets my dick so you're not getting any of that. However, I can't really say the same for the others. Also, I don't plan on beating you or cutting you open or anything like that. Not really my interest." 

Barry looked at him quizzically, as if to ask what the hell he's getting out of this. That was a question Sam had asked himself at least ten times that day. 

Once he retrieved the pulses and secured them on both nipples, he activated them at the same time as flipping a switch inserted in the base of the tendril gag. 

Sam watched in delight for a couple minutes as Barry's eyes bulged at the slithering down his throat and his nipples being worked over. He flicked a finger over the head of the really dripping cock. 

"It always amazes me how something as complex as the penis can be stimulated without even needing to touch it. Just a simple action of pressing here," he pressed on a nipple, "or here," he pressed just behind an ear, "even here," he rubbed his thumb along the bulging throat, "and a signal gets sent down putting the almighty cock on high alert, ready for action." 

Sam chuckled again at seeing the steady stream of pre-cum. "You see, Barry, my interest purely lies in the human body, or, in your case, the Meta body. I like watching a body squirm as signals get sent down. I especially enjoy finding all those spots on a body that creates those signals. One thing you might not know is that each person is different in terms of what their best signals are. Now, you take Mardon for example, rubbing behind his ear does absolutely nothing for him. I honestly don't believe he can feel it, probably accidently sparked or froze it too many times. However, and this is mighty unusual as he's the only one I know that has this spot, but if you rub behind his knees, he giggles and hardens right up. Each person is different." 

He fingered the collar he brought in as well. "Now then, I wasn't sure if I was going to use this on you as well but your throat is practically craving for a constant pressure. However, I don't exactly want to constrict your airflow too much. Your nostrils are working fine?" 

Barry blinked and attempted to get air through his nostrils which was not easy with the back of his mouth opened and a slithering thing jammed down it. Sam held a finger up to the nostril and felt some air flowing in and out. 

"Good, you won't suffocate." Sam spoke in a pleasing tone then snapped the collar on. It pressed just above where the tip was twitching around within. "I have always enjoyed putting on a metal ring collar when there's a slithering tip down the throat. Always feels like I'm snapping the collar around the tendril itself, like a cock ring." He gave the collar a tug. "Feel good?" 

Barry blinked and glowered at him. 

"One final thing," Sam headed to the dresser and pulled out a black piece of cloth. "I am a huge fan of bringing out the best in senses. However, in order to enhance one sense, gotta remove one of the others, right?" 

As he approached the bed, Sam could see a slight hint of fear in those hazel eyes. Holding the cloth up, Barry twisted his head away but that didn't deter Sam at all as all he had to do was slap the speedster, leaving him stunned with blinking eyes. 

"None of that now. Sooner I get this on, better you'll feel." Barry shook his head and Sam slapped him again. Working quickly, he had the blindfold securely in place, so tightly that no amount of head shaking will loosen it. 

Stepping back, Sam admired the piece of art in front of him now. All trussed up, on full display, gag in mouth and pulse vibrators on nipples, Barry was quite the sight indeed, and made even more delectable with the blindfold on. However, he wasn't expecting the sudden stillness to the speedster. Barely twitched a muscle soon as he tightened the knot. 

He was lost in thought when Roscoe pounded on the door and strolled right in. 

\----------------------------------------------

Soon as he entered the room, Roscoe stilled at the sight before him and felt himself grin. Who knew that Central City's finest hero was just some nerdy CSI kid. 

"Aww, you shouldn't have, Sam. Looks mighty damn pretty." He nudged his friend and barely got a response. "Hey, what's eating you?" 

"Hmm?" Sam turned to him. "Oh! Guess I lost track of time." 

"Boy, I'll say. You didn't even get your pants off. You feeling okay?" Roscoe tossed his items on the bed, a couple strands of the flogger grazing a knee. 

Sam snorted and headed to the door. "I'm fine. You know how I appreciate presentation. Besides ... " 

Roscoe chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Only one guy gets your dick and you make damn sure we all know it every single day. Get off with ya, then. Time for a real man to get some work done in here." 

Sam growled. "I'll be sure to send in a _real man_ when I find one." 

Roscoe saw the smirk as the door shut behind his friend. 

Turning back toward the bed, he took another moment to take in the sight before him. The suit was still partially on, bunched at the wrists and the legs were still covered; that would make it trickier gaining access to his most private area. 

Deciding on what to do, Roscoe picked up his flogger and landed a hard blow across the covered nipples. The vibrators flew off across the room. He delighted in seeing how red the nipples were, jutting out so proudly from that smooth chest. 

"Okay, kid, here's what I'm gonna do," he growled as he dropped the flogger back on the bed. "Your positioning is just not quite right for what I have in mind so I'm going to adjust your restraints. If anything other than your cock makes a twitch, I have no problems with beating you to near death. Although, based on some of the rumours I heard, you don't mind a bit of roughing up, now, do you?" 

He only got silence in response, which was expected considering whatever gag Sam stuffed him with. Still, Roscoe moved cautiously as he unclipped the connector clamps. No worries about Allen getting away as he was neatly chained to each of the four bedposts. Which still made it difficult to remove the suit completely but he was able to haul it down enough to bunch at the ankles. He clipped the ankles together and the wrists together as well. He also inspected the chains and determined they needed to be tightened just a bit more. 

Allen's back was now resting up against the headboard, rather than just a bit in front of it, as the chains to the wrists were tightened. That, in turn, pulled on the chains to the ankles. Roscoe winced at how uncomfortable the position looked especially when the ankles were still behind the guy as he remained on his knees, but leaning back against the headboard. It was not a position Roscoe favoured for himself. 

Oh, he certainly didn't mind leaning backward, as Roscoe was mighty proud of his own nipples, he just preferred to be standing, or at least, not have his ankles tightly clipped together. 

Speaking of nipples, he couldn't resist feeling the ones on Allen's torso. Pointy, hard, very flickable, they were the perfect nipples to be played with. Roscoe didn't bring any nipple clamps with him but he knew Axel had some. He preferred the duty of inflicting pain on nipples, get them prime and ready for when it's clamp time. 

"Nice, very nice," he practically drooled out the words as he leaned forward to bite down hard on one nipple, then the other. Running a hand over them, he glanced down at the penis. Frowning, he noticed it was barely half-erect, and wondered what the hell was Sam was doing. Still, it would make it easier for the next step. 

"Going to attach some rings on you. Probably won't feel them much yet but I plan to make sure you feel them in a few minutes." 

Roscoe chuckled as he snapped on the first ring at the base of the cock. The second ring went around the middle, the final ring just at the base of the head. Next, he threaded the chain through the bars on the left side of each ring, then back down again on the right side. These rings had double bars. Securing the chain tightly, the chain was also pressed right into the tip of the penis as it was brought around from the left side to the right side. 

He grinned at the twitch and how the chain at the tip grew damp. "Nice, finally you're waking up." 

Along the chain were also smaller, dangling chains. Just long enough to wrap underneath the penis from bar to bar of each ring. He secured each of the three small chains and gave a tug. Satisfied, he reached for the first weighted steel ball. It only weighed two pounds but considering where it's going, it will quickly feel like fifty. He attached it to the chain at the lowest ring. A three pound ball was attached to the middle ring, and another two pound ball on the tip. 

"Now, seeing as you're currently resting on the bed, you won't feel the weight much but I know you can feel the rings and chains." Roscoe tugged at the chain at the highest ring and received a few drops of pre-cum for his efforts. Licking his fingers clean, he lowered his hand and poked around Allen's hole, receiving a slight squirm in response. 

"Good, I do believe you're ready." 

Straightening up, Roscoe picked up the flogger and flicked it in the air a couple times near Allen's head. One lash hit the headboard loudly causing the other's head to flinch to the opposite side. Roscoe laughed. 

Without warning, he began landing blows all over Allen's torso, giving special attention to the nipples. Ribs, upper arms, sides, belly, waist, with a few more hard lashes to the headboard to either side of the head. He was very careful to not strike Allen's skull but with the blindfold on, Roscoe can only imagine the mental state the other was in. He silently thanked Sam for the idea. 

Lowering the flogger, he dragged the strands along the still half-erect penis. It hadn't gotten too much harder yet but at least it still dripped a bit. 

Once again without warning, he lashed out, this time on the thighs, especially on the inside. A couple strands did find their way to the cock but he was careful to not to inflict a full blow on the cock ... at least, not yet. 

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Roscoe trailed fingers all over the deep red marks. None had broken the skin which he was pleased about. As much as he enjoyed laying a beating on another, he really didn't care to draw blood. 

"Nice," he crooned. "So very, very nice. I've a mind to lavish each mark with my tongue, bite each one into a delicious looking bruise. Bet you would love that, huh?" He leaned in and bit a nipple again, then lowered to run a tongue over a mark right in the middle. "Mmm, very nice indeed." 

The door banged open and Roscoe sighed. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Move it, old man. Time's up. My turn now. Get your fat ass off the bed and get outta here." 

Axel tapped his foot impatiently as Roscoe retrieved his flogger and headed for the door, pausing to glare at him. 

"Sometime today, asshole." Axel snapped at him. 

"Best watch yer mouth, brat, otherwise this'll be all yer getting." Roscoe growled at him and left. Axel slammed the door shut. 

Heading to the bed, he dumped his items on the bed and dragged his eyes over the bound body before him. 

"Huh, not bad," Axel mused, then prodded a finger at the ringed penis. "Nice touch with the rings with the weights attached. Kinda disappointed you're not fully hard. Was kinda hoping to suck you off a bit. Still might but you're nowhere near where I had hoped you to be. Oh well." 

Axel sighed, annoyed at his mostly incompetent companions. Still, they did attach some nice gear, and just the sight of the nerd trussed up like this was more than enough to get himself hard. Without a thought, he fondled himself as he lowered his zipper. 

"Mmm, I could get used to this sight on a regular basis. Plan on coming around more often?" Axel laughed as he hauled his hand out and ran his damp hand along Barry's nipples. Pinching each one, he watched as they hardened even more. 

"Nice! Got something real nice for you." 

Rooting through the clamps, Axel found one that looked like tiny metal clothespins with the way you squeeze the tops to open the teeth. Positioning one over the right nipple, he released it. Barry's head struck the headboard hard. Grinning, Axel attached the matching clamp and ran a chain between the two. He tugged on the chain and saw the cock jump. 

"Great! You'll be fully hard in no time." Running fingers along the tip, Axel felt the chain and the dampness. He brought his fingers up and sucked on them. "Mmm, oh yeah, that's good stuff right there." Leaning down, the blew hot air over the tip, and inhaled the sweet scent. He stuck out his tongue, and despite the chain, found that the really enjoyed the taste right from the source. 

"First things first," Axel muttered to himself as he picked up the vibrator. Sucking on it for only three seconds, he lined it up with Barry's hole and shoved the whole thing in. He ignored the continuous thumping against the headboard as he flipped the switch. Naturally, the vibrator was on Axel's favourite setting, full max from base to tip. 

"Finally, time to feast." 

And feast he did, as Axel sprawled out on the bed and sucked on Barry's cock. He actually found the metal a nice touch on the tongue, not as weird as he had first thought. He wasn't able to get the entire cock in his mouth but he did get down to the second ring, which he lavished with his tongue as he swallowed. 

He was just starting to feel the cock really harden when the door banged open. He groaned in exasperation and continued to suck out whatever pre-cum he could get. Sure, it wasn't the full orgasm cum but this'll do for now. He better have another chance later. 

\----------------------------------------------

"That's enough, brat." Mark practically hauled Axel off the bed but not before he noticed Barry tensing right up and hearing a painful crack as his head struck the headboard. Tossing Axel to the floor, he also noticed a spurt of blood and the kid's bloody lips. 

"The fuck, man. NEVER interrupt someone when they got cock in their mouth. Haven't they taught you that in Dick School?" 

"How's about I stuff your mouth with that plug you brought it? I see you haven't used it." Mark winced at seeing the gash just below the middle ring where Axel's teeth dug in. Checking the underside, it was an even match. 

"Didn't have the fuckin' time, man. That was nowhere near twenty." 

"Inexperience nets you half the time," Mark growled back as he inspected the headboard. As expected, bloody as hell. He had heard some thudding but hadn't thought to check until now when they started getting worse. "Damn good thing I came in, too. Didn't think to find out why he was bashing his skull on the board, huh?" 

"Figured he was just annoyed. Figured all he needed was to calm down and best way to calm anyone down is to suck 'em off." 

"Well, you figured wrong. DIGGER!" 

"Christ, man, don't get your panties all bunched up. Thought he could handle a bit of roughness." Axel finally got up and shoved his hands in his pockets. 

"What's happenin', mate?" Digger asked as he came in. 

"Grab the chains at the bottom two posts, will ya?" Mark instructed him as he unlatched the upper two chains. "Time to move him back out again." 

Digger grinned and made quick work of his own pair of chains. "Great, been itchin' ta get at that ass." 

Hauling Barry up by both sets of restraints, Digger headed back to the main room with Axel in tow. When they had gone, Mark trailed his fingers along the headboard and sighed. There really was no easy way to get blood out of that kind of soft wood. 

Picking items up off the floor, he tossed them on the bed and headed out. Time to get the real party started. 

Entering the room, he saw that Digger and Sam had spread Barry's legs at clipped him to the spreader bar. Roscoe quickly dabbed at the head wound with a damp cloth. Axel was pouting on the couch. Barry still had on those nipple clamps and the cock rings with the weights. That gave him an idea. 

As Digger pulled the vibrating dildo out of Barry's ass, Mark retrieved the electrical box. He knelt down and began clipping the wires to each metal ring. He knew very well how electricity intensified when striking metal. With how the speedster's cock looked completely deflated, Mark felt a boost was needed. 

"That should do it," he muttered as he fingered the controls on the box. 

"Nice," Digger commented as he thrusted himself inside of Barry. "That'll feel extra nice when ya turn the juice on." 

Mark sniggered and turned the device on at half power. Digger grunted at the sensation and practically drooled, much to his amusement. However, his attention was mainly focused on the cock which started to twitch, but not enough. He turned up the power to three quarters, causing the Aussie to howl in delight. 

There we go. The cock was finally hardening. Pulling on a leather glove, he gripped the chain attached to the middle ring and tugged. That caused a small amount of pre-cum to leak out. Good. 

Once Digger shuddered and unleashed his load into Barry, the Aussie pulled out looking completely blissed out. Mark filed that information away as he had not known how Digger would react to the electrical addition. Sure, it wasn't direct contact but was still more than enough to cause such a pleasurable reaction. 

Dillon took his turn and felt startled at first, but Mark saw how the other embraced the electricity, feeling its intensity grow with each passing second. 

"Damn, that's good," the Rogue commented as he thrusted fast and heavy. Within moments, Barry had a second load in his ass. "Shall I plug him?" Dillon asked as he pulled out. 

"Not yet," Mark replied as he turned the juice up full blast. A steady stream of pre-cum flowed out. Very nice, he thought. Once they pull this orgasm out of the speedster, they can really put him to the test. Mark always wondered just how many orgasms a Flash can have in an hour. 

With that thought in mind, Mark angled himself behind Barry and tapped his wand to the bruised ass. 

Axel seemed a little too intrigued. "Are ya gonna do what I think yer gonna do?" 

"Watch and learn, brat," Mark smirked and jammed his wand up Barry's ass. How he longed to try this since he gained the ability to unleash two elements in tandem. 

Twirling his wrist, the wand moved around deep within. Nudging, he pressed into the prostate and watched the cock bouncing heavily, fully hard. "Hold him down." He didn't want to take any chances of Barry getting away. 

Dillon gripped the wrist bindings and let half his weight fall on Barry's back. Digger kept a hold of the spreader bar attached at the ankles. Sam kept a close eye on everything, ready to jump in as needed or bark an order. Axel's eyes were blown wide open as the kid took in the scene from where he sat. Good, Mark didn't want the kid getting in the way. 

Seeing everyone was in position, Mark pressed harder into the prostate and unleashed the combined elements of electricity and ice. Well, more like waves of sparks dancing around ice pellets. As expected, Barry's body jolted forward of its own accord, the blindfold falling down, a scream could finally be faintly heard through that gag of Sam's still in his mouth. Mark watched the eyes bulge as he unleashed a second blast and held on, letting the stream continue for ten seconds before he cut the flow off. 

Dillon struggled to keep the spasming body in check, Digger got struck by the spreader bar and now had his full weight down on it. Barry's cock was thrashing wildly, splattering the pre-cum around. Not quite there yet. 

A few more moments, the body settling, Mark noticed all the beads of sweat lathering the body. They were also smoking slightly as the juice box was still on full blast. Barry's body heaved, in desperate need of oxygen. He gave the speedster another moment to recover. 

"This one should bring him over," Mark declared as he tightened his grip and thrusted hard into the prostate again. He upped the intensity and unleashed a third blast, holding the stream for thirty seconds. 

Barry's body practically screamed as it surged forward, nearly knocking Dillon away. Mark could hear the crackling of all the sweat on the body along with the snapping of a few minor bones. Barry spasmed out of control. 

"Hold him, fifteen more seconds," Mark snapped out as Dillon put his full weight down on Barry's back, unmindful of all the electricity. 

He heard a strange gurgle but paid it no mind as he counted down the seconds. He was more interested in how the base ring cracked as Barry orgasmed, unleashing an impressive amount of cum. 

Thirty seconds, and Mark slowly removed his wand. switching off the juice box. He watched as the orgasm continued for another twenty seconds. Glancing at his face, Mark saw dead eyes and realised the mouth was closed. Wondering what happened to the gag, his eyes found the base on the floor. 

Sam noticed and when Barry settled down a bit, he prodded the mouth open. Ah, that's what the gurgling sound was, Mark thought. As Sam tugged out the tendril, Mark could clearly see where Barry's teeth had sliced through the hard silicone. The gurgling was him choking on the tendril. 

Mark began to wipe his wand clean when the door opened. 

\----------------------------------------------

"KYLE! Yer just in time, mate. Get yerself a piece of this ass!" 

Kyle was rarely greeted anywhere he went, let alone here at the Rogue Base, aside from maybe a couple grunts and some cursing. This was new, this was different, and his whole body went on high alert before he fully took in the scene before him. 

His body changed from high alert to full on critical rage mode. 

"Hi, guys," he spoke his usual calm way, unflinching, perfectly calm, and had his hands in the pockets of his pants. 

He quietly watched as Mardon was cleaning his wand. Dillon was just pushing himself up off of Barry's back, as the body's spasming winded down. Digger was making a rather lame effort to keep the legs still while he was squeezing an ass cheek. Axel was giggling over something and Kyle really had no intention of finding out why. 

"He's ripe for the picking. Wanna get down here?" Mardon inquired and stood up. 

Soaking up the contents of the packets he kept in his pockets, Kyle slightly shifted his head. "No, thanks. Only came to pick up something for Hart." 

Stepping over the items scattered around the floor, he headed down the hallway to his friend's room. Upon entering, he saw the chaos, all the clutter from the day of that attack. Neither of them had the time to come back here and straighten up. 

Spotting the two abandoned duffel bags in a corner, Kyle knelt down and unzipped them. One was full of clothing, the other was what he really came for: the spare Dwarf Star. Satisfied, he zipped them back up and headed back out. 

The scene before him had now changed. His companion Rogues were passed out on the floor, sound asleep. Stepping through the tangle of bodies, he headed outside to toss the bags into the trunk. Leaving the door to the backseat of the car open, he headed back in to retrieve the unexpected item. A very important item that Hartley would love to get back. 

Kneeling down, Kyle removed the blindfold that was already dangling halfway down the neck. He next removed the collar. Cupping the side of his friend's face, he ran his fingers lightly along the throat checking for muscle movement. Satisfied they were functioning, although concerned with the low pulse, he lightly trailed his fingers along his cheeks and lips. Even if he weren't using words, Kyle knew that Barry understood the meaning of touches. He could literally see the body becoming less tense. 

Trailing hands downward, Kyle removed the nipple clamps and he nearly winced at how bad they looked. He knew clamps were fine to an extent but certainly not for long durations. Everyone has their own threshold in terms of how long clamps can remain on safely. In Barry's case, at this particular moment, the clamps were long past their critical point. He distorted his fingers into a healing mist and ran them lightly over the nipples. 

With his free hand, he began removing the cock rings, discovering that it was way too easy. Once the rings, chains, and weights were removed, he understood why: Barry was fully deflated, not an ounce of hardness anywhere within his penis. That really bothered Kyle as he had never known Barry to have anything less than a half erection, even after having an orgasm. 

Unclipping the four bands around the limbs, and the spreader bar, Kyle then fingered the dampener band; it was not one he has seen before. Grasping it in both hands, pressing his thumbs in the correct places, he gave that tricky little twist that Hartley liked, and the band did not open. That wasn't right. Only thing to do was to get Barry home quickly so Hartley could break him free. 

With that single thought on his mind, Kyle hefted Barry up and settled him in the backseat of the car. He drove a little above the speed limit, grateful that traffic was light at that time of night ... morning. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Are you seriously daft for wanting to give Axel more responsibility? Utter chaos follows him wherever he goes, or have you forgotten that?" 

Hartley was waving the piece of paper, the contract draft, as he spoke. He and Leonard had been going over the drafts that Len had drawn up and his input was quite clearly required. 

"I was of the mind that letting Axel know that we trust him, that _I_ trust him, he'll gain that boost of mature confidence and settle down." Leonard was sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed, treating each contract as a battle. 

Which they all were, considering how the last four hours went. Every time Hartley picked one up off the table, he was quick to point out every single detail that either did not make sense, was utterly ridiculous, or just plain wrong. Leonard faced each challenge with solid reasoning for each one which Hartley then picked at one-by-one. 

Letting go of the paper, he flopped back onto the couch, having not realised he had even stood up. He watched as the paper floated to the table, landing right on the edge, watching it teeter for a moment. 

A click of a lock disengaging caught his ears. Since his own healing sessions, Hartley found that his hearing had also improved and was beginning to pick up the faintest of sounds much more easily. 

"Odd," Leonard spoke as he stood up. "Kyle rarely uses a key." 

A true fact, Hartley reflected as he thought how very much like Barry his Hunter was. Both have the ability to just phase through the door in some form or another. Kyle usually misted up and flowed through the door. 

A moment later, they found the reasoning behind the key. 

Hartley shot up to his feet and over to his friends. "Kyle! What the hell happened?!" He was feeling queasy at how badly Barry looked, all those deep marks, the nipples looking worse than hell, the gash on the back of the head. Reaching around delicately, he winced at feeling the lump. "Get him on the sofa." 

Kyle dutifully followed that order, laying his charge gently down. "Band," he said as he lifted Barry's wrist. "Won't come off." 

Hartley hissed as he checked the dampener band. "The hell? How'd he get this band stuck on his wrist?! It's one of the rejects." 

"Rejects?" Leonard inquired. "How so?" 

Hartley shook his head in disbelief. "This band was never intended for use. I had it in the discard pile to be broken down, melted, change into something else. The dampener portion works fine but the clasp is the problem. It doesn't come off. My calculations were off by a single digit and erroneously created a permanent band that no Meta can get out of. It's much too dangerous." 

"Kyle, was he at the Base when you were there?" Leonard asked. 

"Yes." 

"All of them?" 

Kyle nodded. "Yes." 

"Christ," Leonard growled. "I'll deal with them later. We need to get that band off." 

"Shall I burn it off?" Mick appeared out of his bedroom. 

Sliding his fingers around the band, Hartley growled. "Wouldn't work. This is the first band I made with Lubrilon, nothing we have will penetrate it." 

"Da hell he get stuck with it?" Mick asked. 

Shaking his head, Hartley knew he needed to have a conversation with the kid that he really preferred to avoid. "Axel must have been roaming around my bedroom. I haven't had a chance to get back there to clean up. He likely found the band on the floor, thought it looked interesting, and slapped it on. Honestly," he sighed, "sooner or later that kid will kill someone due to his own ignorance." 

"Considering how Barry looks, seems that was a near thing," Leonard spoke quietly but Hartley knew the tone all too well. Len was seething in a very cool rage and Hart was mighty glad to not be a target of that rage. 

A ringing cell phone caught his attention. Grabbing his cell from the table, Hartley didn't recognise the number but he did notice the time. 

Answering, "Yeah?" 

"Hart! Good you're awake." 

He blinked. "Calvin?! It's 4:30 in the morning." 

"So?" Calvin responded. "You're awake, aintcha?" 

He sighed. "Yes, I'm awake but now is not really ... " 

Calvin cut him off as he was well known to do. "How's Barry?" 

"Uh," Hartley really didn't know how to answer that as he didn't know if Calvin was merely inquiring politely as it wasn't a secret that Barry was often with him at night, or maybe the young tech was asking about their friend's current condition. He went with the honest answer. "Not so good." 

"Okay, give me a sec," Calvin said as he ended the call. 

Hartley blinked stupidly at the cell phone for a moment before dropping it back on the table. What in the world did Calvin mean? 

A moment later, there was a knock on the door and Kyle went to answer it. 

"Oh, hey, Kyle! How's it going?" Calvin's cheerful voice came from the doorway. 

Another moment later, the young tech appeared with a grinning Kyle in tow. 

"Cal, what are you doing here?" Hartley asked. "For that matter, how'd you find us?" 

"Hmm?" Calvin settled his bag on the table. "Oh c'mon, Hart. You're not the only one that knows how to use tracking gadgets. I knew you and Barry were coming down here for awhile now." 

"Cal," Hartley groaned. 

"Hey, don't worry about it. Not like I'm gonna tell anyone that you hang out in an abandoned district of the City. Highly doubt anyone would believe me anyway if I told them about ARGUS hanging around down here as well, aside from the Captain of course as he seems to know everything especially since he seems to appreciate your friends here, oh hey Mick! Good to see you again." 

Hartley groaned again and felt like banging his head on a wall. He couldn't believe how much Calvin was sounding like Barry with the rambling and interrupting himself. For that matter, he still couldn't really believe how Calvin knew so damn much. Even more unbelievable, how much Calvin protects such dangerous knowledge. 

Mick had grunted out a friendly greeting which brought his attention back to the immediate situation. 

"Cal, what are you doing here? And why the hell are you roaming around an abandoned district this late at night? It's dangerous around here." 

Calvin positively beamed. "How dangerous can it possibly be down here? You're here so I knew I was perfectly safe." 

Glancing at his friends, Hartley sighed in defeat. "So you really don't mind being in a room full of Central City's most dangerous criminals, huh?" 

Calvin retrieved some gadgets from his bag that looked vaguely like what Hart used as his pulse devices. "Nope, should I?" 

"Honestly," he muttered and sat on the edge of the table. He heard Mick burst out in laughter at Calvin's comment, Kyle beamed, and Leonard appeared to not know what to think of the kid. Which made sense as Len hasn't met Cal yet. 

He watched for a few moments as Calvin inspected the band, tapping around and paused at a spot. He was clearly intrigued by Cal's actions as he had no idea how the kid could possibly help. 

"There," Calvin grinned and reached for Hart's hand, pressing a finger where his own was. "Feel that?" 

Hartley blinked and rested another finger on a different spot of the band; he felt the difference, very slight but it was there. Calvin's spot was a tad softer and had a tiny vibration that he had never noticed before. 

"I just need to match that frequency," Calvin told them as he picked out one of the small circular gadgets and attached it to that spot. "You know pulses, right?" Hartley nodded, of course he did. "So you know how pulses can spread throughout, sending out waves. I've seen your work and you deal with a lot of really interesting things. Remember that device that you plucked out of Barry's body?" Another nod, Hartley really didn't want to remember what nearly happened that day. "That bug was of the destructive kind, waves that altered the innards of humans. I can do that, too." 

"Uh," Hartley paled at the thought. 

It was Mick that growled. "Christ, kid, we ain't lookin' ta kill 'im." 

"Ah, sorry, sorry," Calvin flustered. "I meant that my expertise is a bit different than Hart's in that I deal with altering waves. His pulse waves are more for enhancing and improvement, mine are more for changing things completely." 

"Speak English," Mick growled again. 

Hartley felt awed by Calvin as he understood what the tech was saying. "It's fine, Calvin, I'll explain it to Mick later in terms he can understand. I'm used to that kind of thing." 

"Cool," Calvin grinned and picked up a small black box. "This will help me find the right frequency and then I'll snap on this piece," he held up a grey version of what's already attached, "send out an increased frequency with my altering waves mixed in, and the band will shatter." 

"Like a tuning fork on imertable glass?" That was Mick's comment and Hartley was stunned that the big brute actually knew the word impenetrable. Even more impressive was that Mick actually knew the concept of tuning forks when used on objects. 

"Exactly! I'm a tuning fork!" Calvin beamed as he caught the right frequency and began attaching the grey gadget. 

"Wait a moment," a thought came to Hartley's mind. "Will your tech fork only work on the band? How can we be sure it won't shatter bones?" 

Calvin paused and blinked. "Oh. Huh. Well, his bones would be of a different frequency than the band. He would know that best especially with how he can phase through many different objects. Everything has their own frequency, so he needs to match himself up perfectly otherwise he might get a limb stuck in a wall, literally." 

How Calvin knew about Barry's phasing ability, he had no idea. "Okay, you have a point. Still, the band is attached to his wrist. What's to prevent the shockwave from the shattering from spreading through his body?" 

"Just because something isn't receiving a direct hit, doesn't mean it doesn't feel the attack at all. It's just receiving the hit through the line. The further down the line you are, the less of an impact." Calvin mused out his thoughts out loud. "Any of you got a shielding device?" 

"Uh," Hartley found himself blinking in stunned disbelief many times these past few minutes. "I don't have a functioning shield for a human body yet, and certainly not one so small that it'll fit under the band to prevent the waves from penetrating the body. I know Barry can activate shields internally but ... " he shrugged. 

"With the band on, he can't exactly tap into his powers. If he could, then I wouldn't be here. I'd be home watching some DVDs, and the two of you would be busy doing whatever you guys can't exactly do at the precinct." 

As accurate as that comment was, Hartley couldn't prevent himself from turning beet red. He did make a point to tune out Mick's laughter. Instead, he focused on Kyle who moved in close. 

"Hmm," Kyle inspected the band and misted up his arm to the elbow. 

Understanding came to him. "I get it. You think you can act as a barrier?" 

"Believe so," Kyle nodded. 

"I dunno," Calvin seemed skeptical. "Do you have another of these that we test him out on?" 

"Good idea," Hartley hopped up and headed to his room. He had another Lubrilon band that he did use more recently, but if it could be used to help get the defective one off his friend's wrist, then he's willing to sacrifice the band. He had enough Lubrilon material left over to make one more band, and he knew where to get more. 

"Here," he tossed the band which Calvin caught neatly. The tech immediately attached his gadgets to the band. 

"Great!" Calvin announced when he was done. "Now, to really test it properly, kinda need a wrist or finger for Kyle to cover." 

"Of course," Hartley sighed and offered up his own fingers. "Of all of us, I can heal the fastest, aside from Barry of course." 

Kyle quickly penetrated through his fingers with his mist and provided a protective shield. Hartley could see the shimmering blue-green flickers of energy within the mist. 

"Alright, hold still," Calvin's warning came only a second before he pressed the button. A hum filled the air followed by a shattering as the band collapsed in on itself. Shaking his hand free, the pieces fell onto the table. Inspecting his fingers, he didn't see a single cut. 

"Incredible," Hartley awed and he wasn't sure if it was from Calvin's tech or from Kyle's newest display of ability; he had never seen his Hunter create a shield before. Flowing through objects and skin, he's seen that plenty of times, along with the physical body being used to shield Hart, but never a protective shield out of pure mist. 

Calvin seemed to be the cover boy for the multiverse's Beamology Magazine especially with how much the kid was beaming that night. It was enough to fill a room with confidence and positivity. 

"Excellent! Let's get the band off now." Calvin reattached the gear to Barry's band and Kyle provided his protective shield. "All set?" Kyle nodded and a moment later, the band shattered. The pieces fell to the floor as Kyle pulled his mist free. 

Hartley immediately grasped the wrist, grateful that the defective band was finally gone and would never be attached again. Peering inside, he watched as light sparks came to life and begin spreading. He added in some of his own sparks and turned his attention back to Calvin. 

"Calvin, thank you," there was so much more Hartley wanted to say but he couldn't find the words. 

Calvin grinned as he packed up his bag and stood up. "No problem. I'm just glad he's gonna be okay. He's kinda important around here, after all, here in Central City, down here, at the precinct, his apartment building. I'm just happy I was able to help." 

Calvin aimed for the door and it was a moment before Hartley came fully back to his senses and stopped him. "Cal, I don't want you walking home, especially not at this time of night." 

Calvin blinked in thought as Kyle headed for the door. "Alright," the tech agreed. "I appreciate it. See you at work, then?" 

Hartley grinned. "Eventually, yes." 

Calvin grinned back. "Get him functioning first. See you later." 

With that, he watched as Calvin followed Kyle out the door. A moment later, Mick hefted Barry up and hauled him off to Hart's bedroom. 

Turning, he saw that Leonard had remained in the same spot, only realising that the other hadn't said a word when Calvin was around. 

"Uh, that was Calvin," Hartley didn't really know how to explain. 

"I see," Len was in interrogation mode. 

Of course. Len was always skeptical about anyone new that comes into contact with one of his Rogues, most especially when that Rogue in question was Hart himself. He sighed, and yet, felt pleased that Len was so protective. 

"Calvin's okay, he's our new tech guy at the precinct. Kyle and Mick had already met him and determined he was safe enough." Hartley giggled at the comment, knowing damn well that, like all of them, there was nothing "safe" about Calvin at all. 

Leonard raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Kyle doesn't like anyone." 

Heading to the smaller surveillance station next to Mick's bedroom, Hartley pulled up Barry's apartment feeds, specifically to the night of the pizza party. They watched as Mick swiped Barry's wallet, Jimmy coming in, the CCPD coming in, the pizza guys. 

Hartley laughed. "Ah, so that's what happened to Barry's fifties, and the charge for 15 large pizzas on his card." 

"Who's that guy?" Leonard inquired as he indicated the annoying prick. 

"Oh, that's Jimmy, one of our CSI guys. Seems Mrs Cleary got annoyed with him and called the station. He's alright but can be a bit of a pest. I think he has an interest in Barry and doesn't like me being around him much." 

"I see," Leonard didn't seem to think much about Jimmy at all. 

"Hey, dat's the loud prick dat barged right in," Mick commented as he came up behind them. "Rude bugger, shitty attitude, don't like 'im. Tried t'get me busted." 

Getting a better look at when Jimmy left, Hartley blinked at what he saw. "Is it just me or does Kenneth look a bit flustered?" 

Mick laughed. "Noticed that, too. That other one bangin' him or sumtin?" 

"Wouldn't surprise me," Hartley grinned at the thought. "That would explain a lot of their disappearances at the precinct and their extended patrol duties, and the few times I caught a glimpse of them in the copier corner. Jackson's a good guy, they're both well liked." 

Skimming through the footage, Hartley informed Leonard who Gagne was. Despite only being in his late 30s, Gagne was considered the Senior CSI as he was literally their eldest CSI guy, the one that was around the longest. Very well liked and trustworthy, knows about Barry being the Flash and has covered his ass many times over the years with explanations to his absences. Whether Barry actually knew that Gagne knows, that's a different matter altogether. It's enough that Barry trusts him completely, as Hart now does. 

The footage skimmed through the pizza party and how Gagne delivered a box of pizza to Mrs Cleary's apartment, and how Hart, Barry and Calvin all fell asleep on the couch, leaving both Gagne and Mick to make the security rounds. They also saw the Captain leave with a kitten carrier. 

"Good to hang out with," Hartley declared. "We all feel comfortable around both Calvin and Gagne." 

Mick grunted in agreement. "Good kid, good fella." 

Switching over to the precinct, Hartley showed Leonard the time of the big crime scene and how Calvin was around and helped them out. 

"As you can see, he has guts." 

"If ya ask me," Mick spoke up, "Kid's yer biggest fan. I've seen how he looks at ya 'specially when he nattered on about yer pulse tech." 

Hartley snorted. "Hardly. He's just a fan of my tech and work." Still, he couldn't help but feel some sort of connection toward the kid. Not the deep kind of connection he has with Barry, nor with Kyle, Leonard and Mick, but a connection nevertheless. It felt oddly familiar, comforting, yet different and new. 

Switching over to the Rogue Base, they skimmed the footage of when Barry arrived. He didn't have a camera in the spare bedroom but everything in the common room was clearly visible. As expected, Axel had been rummaging around Hart's room, which was how he found the band. 

"I can't watch this anymore," feeling nauseated as Barry was dumped back out in the common room, Hartley turned away and headed to his bedroom. It's one thing knowing what happened; it's an entirely different thing actually seeing those things happen. 

After a quick shower, he settled in next to Barry once he saw that the speedster's own healing energies were working properly. Mixing in his own energies, he soon fell asleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Feeling the familiar mixture of energies flowing within him, Barry stretched lazily and casually rolled over into his favourite position. If his partner had ever felt disgruntled by being half buried beneath the speedster, then Barry had never known about it. 

He felt a familiar twitch between his legs and nuzzled into the side of Hartley's neck as both twitches worked in tandem to create chaos upon their bodies. 

"Stop twitching," Hartley growled sleepily. 

"Mmm, can't help it. You're twitchable." 

"That doesn't even make sense," Hartley giggled as he found just the right spot to nip at. 

After a few moments, Hartley asked, "Are you feeling okay?" 

Barry thought about that question. He knew that Hart wasn't asking about how he's doing physically as they both already know the answer to that question. 

He sighed as he lazily ran his fingers under Hart's shirt. "I dunno. I would like to think that I am but ... that was pretty intense." 

"Hmm?" Hartley was patient, letting him take the time to form his thoughts. Quite like Leonard actually. He received a pleasurable sound as he flicked a nipple but he knew his friend's full attention was on the conversation, as was he. 

"I can't really blame the guys for wanting what you have, to see what the thrill is all about, having me in their clutches. For the most part, it was fine as I learned a lot about them. Which ones had the knowledge, the expertise, who were more safety conscious, more erratic, how they spoke about one another. I got a good sense of how well they worked together and found holes in communication. I gotta admit, attaching dampener wires to Digger's boomerangs was quite impressive in how he and Mardon captured me." 

He ignored Hart's look of stunned disbelief as he continued. 

"Didn't much care for being knocked unconscious but Mardon had perfect control of the sparks he released from his wand, knew just the right areas to tackle to knock me out and at just the right intensity. That's one really smart guy." 

"You do realise you're complementing your kidnappers?" Hartley asked incredulously. 

"Of course I am," Barry tossed back. "It was a work of art, neatly executed, as expected from any Rogue operation. I've been a huge fan of Rogue activities for years. Always exciting, wondering how they come up with their plans, impressive seeing plans executed so flawlessly." 

Hartley groaned. "Only you would be this pleased about your own abduction and torture." 

"Yeah, the torture part I wasn't too much of a fan of. Some of it was interesting, sure, but I didn't care for a lot of it." Barry sighed and snuggled in closer. 

"I skimmed a portion of the footage, it didn't look good." 

Barry nodded. "Didn't feel so good either. Scudder was fine for the most part but I don't think I liked the blindfold very much. I imagine it'd be better in a familiar place, but not there, especially when I had no idea what they were capable of. Too many unknown factors. The blindfold, under safe conditions, would work beautifully in enhancing the senses of hearing and touch, but, in my case, it only enhanced the fear and panic. I began to shut down. There's nothing scarier than shutting down." 

He shuddered and felt Hart's arms wrap around him. 

"Scudder did have this interesting gag, though, a slithering thing. Felt really weird but very nice as it twitched around in my throat, in a slithery way. He also had nipple pulses but they were very generic, nowhere near as good as yours." 

He felt and heard that prideful hum, and a finger sliding down his crack. 

"Dillon had something interesting, though. I felt the rings and weights and they felt good. He also had this flogger that felt nice on contact but was a little too intense without my powers. I didn't care for the mind games though. Without my eyes, I couldn't see where he was striking, and he even lashed out at my head. No direct contact as he struck the headboard instead, but knowing he was that close, the sound cracking through my ears, I feared that the next strike would hit my skull in just the wrong way. I felt the rest of my body shutting down, becoming more unresponsive. 

"Then Axel came in and I couldn't believe it. He's just a kid and they're allowing him to join in on their activities. He doesn't have the control the others do. Yeah, Dillon had perfect control with that flogger, and quite an expert at the mind games, but it wasn't something I cared to have done to me, in that way. At least he didn't cause serious damage. Axel, however, doesn't have that kind of knowledge of the human body, just strikes out wherever he feels like it regardless of the consequences. He doesn't know the internal injuries he can cause. He's careless and reckless. However," Barry paused a moment as he reflected back on his few minutes with Axel. "He's really good at sucking cock, provided he's not interrupted. I don't care to have my cock bitten down upon hard. Mardon should have known better to force him off me. If it was any of the others down on my cock, then they would have had better control of their teeth. As good as his mouth is on my cock, Axel doesn't have the teeth control when startled. However, the worst damage was the clamps he used on my nipples. He didn't gauge the tightness at all, defaulting to tightening them as much as his own strength allowed. Plus, they stayed on way too long. I was barely conscious when they moved me again." 

He twitched as Hartley lighted grazed one of his nipples, inspecting it. He sighed in relief as Hart leaned down and lathered one with the cool moisture of his tongue. 

"They look much better," his friend commented and nipped one. 

"Mmm, they feel much better," Barry agreed. "Clamps are fine but preferable with my powers and of your design. Those new ones of yours are quite nice indeed. Love the humming vibrations." 

"Mmm, thought you would like those. Got a double bar version ready for you with a couple more designs in the works." 

Barry fully hardened in anticipation, and he also felt the eager tension in his nipples. Hartley giggled at his body's reaction. 

"Being here makes me feel good," Barry began softly. "Not just for my body, but for my mentality as well. As good as some of things they've done were, it was not a safe, controlled environment for me. It was too dangerous. Here, I'm safe. Perfectly. Body and mind." 

"Wouldn't want you anyplace else," Hartley agreed. "If I really wanted to, and I do have the ability to do so, I would chain you to my bed for the rest of your life." 

Barry leaked out pre-cum at the thought. "Provided it's this bed, and not your other bed. That one is too small." 

Hartley laughed. "You're one to talk. But, yes, this bed. Definitely. Even with your powers, I have enforced my bed so it's completely sturdy. No chance of your vibrations breaking my bed." 

"Mmm, good to know. I'll be sure to test out that theory after my nap." As much as Barry would have loved to test the sturdiness of the bed right then, he was feeling sleepy again. His body was still healing and that always drained his personal energy. 

Hartley responded by nipping at the other nipple. 

Before he allowed himself to drift off, Barry wanted to finish his thoughts. "Digger has good hands but a foul temper and some impatience, but that's usually because of Axel. He has a wider stock of boomerangs than I expected, different ones with different functions. It's amazing the control he has of them. Mardon is a prick but an intelligent prick, and full of arrogance. But again, there's no denying his expertise with the human body. That makes him all the more dangerous, and deadly. Still, there was this one thing he did with his wand that was extremely intense and I really wished I had my powers for it to better enjoy the mixed sensations." 

"Oh?" Hartley was clearly interested at the idea of Mardon's wand being shoved up Barry's ass. He poked around lightly at Barry's hole which Barry both really loved and hated, feeling the ass wiggle to chase the finger. 

Barry hissed in annoyance at the elusive finger. "Yeah, I didn't know Mardon could shoot out two different elements at the same time. Got a good dosage of Electricity and Ice pellets." 

Hartley whistled and jammed his finger into the ass. "That's news to me. I wonder when he was able to control two at the same time?" 

Barry could practically see the gears turning in his partner's head, coming up with various tech that he could create with dual-elements. Taking in two more fingers, Barry's cock flowed freely in eagerness at the possible creations. 

Feeling perfectly content, warm and safe, he drifted off to sleep again as he plastered his tormentor's groin with the full release of his orgasm. 

\----------------------------------------------

When? Where? 

He read the response from the Gotham Hunter, pleased he got a response. He hadn't explained anything in the request, only to set up a meeting. 

He sent off a time and place. 

Leaning back, he glanced around his lab. Naturally, _they_ weren't around so he was stuck with processing everything that came in, along with his incompetent partner who seemed to enjoy ordering him around. 

The Captain couldn't suspend him, not with being down two CSI agents for a few days. He was under close surveillance though, which increased his irritation. 

Hunkering down, he set to work. Soon enough, his plans will unfold which will make even the most mundane jobs seem all the more pleasurable. He was quite eager for what's to come. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters:
> 
> Gideon  
> The Force Guardian of Barry's Force Network. A different take on the character we all know and love. Quite loyal toward Barry and his friends.
> 
> Mark Mardon (Weather Wizard)  
> A member of the Rogues, has appeared both in the comics and in the Arrowverse. He can create controlled weather by transferring his Meta energies into a wand.
> 
> Digger Harkness (Captain Boomerang)  
> Aussie, has the usage of various types of boomerangs, each with its own unique function.
> 
> Roscoe Dillon (Top)  
> Close friend and greatest challenger of Digger. Has appeared in the comics.
> 
> Sam Scudder (Mirror Master)  
> Good friend of Mardon's, he can travel the Mirrorverse through the use of mirrors.
> 
> Axel Walker (Trickster Jr., Trickster 2.0, Tricks)  
> Hormonal teenager, nearly seventeen.
> 
> Kenneth  
> One of the fine officers of the CCPD, trustworthy and well liked.
> 
> Jackson  
> One of the fine officers of the CCPD, trustworthy and well liked.
> 
> Clements  
> One of the fine officers of the CCPD, usually the one on daytime phone duty.
> 
> Jennings  
> Rookie officer of the CCPD who usually has night shift. Still within his first year.
> 
> Mrs Tierney  
> Lives above Barry Allen, one of Mrs Cleary's best friends.
> 
> Joyce  
> Lives below Barry Allen, one of Mrs Cleary's best friends.
> 
> Ol' Sellers  
> Elderly gent that lives across from Mrs Tierney, deaf.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry comes to terms with what the Rogues have done to him, conversing with both Hartley and Leonard. Time has also come for a week-long trip, which gives Leonard and Mick the time to get back to basics with Barry. We also learn about how Barry and Hartley met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the previous chapter, it did appear that Barry was a little too okay with what the Rogues have done to him. His light attitude ended up not causing Hartley to go on the alert. Hart was most concerned about Barry's well being, the Rogues becoming more of an afterthought. In this chapter, the delayed reaction comes forth within Barry which in turn sets Hartley off.
> 
> Also, Leonard, Mick, Kyle didn't dash off to the Rogue Base either as Barry's safety was their top priority. They were focused on getting that band of his wrist. Kyle didn't appear to be outwardly angry when he was at the Base as the others didn't know of Kyle's connection to Barry. They only knew that Kyle was contracted to keep an eye on Hartley, nothing more. Kyle didn't care to let them know that Barry was under his protection as well. His priority was getting Barry out of there in the safest way possible, which was to put his Rogue companions to sleep, knowing full well that it was Leonard's duty to deal with them properly.
> 
> I didn't get to show much of Leonard's reaction in the previous chapter as the chapter had gotten way longer than I intended it to. I included his conversation with Barry in this chapter along with reassuring both of them that Barry is right where he belongs.
> 
> Even though there is plenty of conversation in this chapter, there is also plenty of the kinky stuff that everyone is here to read. As a special treat to you all, I have introduced a new toy for Leonard to use on our favourite speedster. Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Trauma stuff in the beginning as both Barry and Hartley are coming to terms to what the Rogues have done to Barry last chapter. This causes anguish, emotional pain, bloody knuckles, and a very brutal beating borne out of anger.  
> There is also Trauma near the end but only in a past sense as Barry is explaining about how he and Hartley had met, about the abuse and rape that Hart had experienced. Tread cautiously.

**\-- Safety Play --**   


He woke in a cold sweat. He knew it was just a dream but try telling his body that. He shivered and reached for the blanket that had tumbled down to the floor. 

Sure, Barry has had many bad dreams over the years, especially about evil speedsters that he couldn't take down, but nothing quite like this one. Death by Sex was certainly not something he wanted to become a reality. 

Curling up under the blanket, he drifted off into a restless sleep. 

He had no idea how long he slept but soon as he felt pressure on his chest, he lashed out. He's supposed to have some sort of control over his dreams, right? At least, that's what that one book said that he skimmed through several years ago. 

A pressure was felt on his arm and he kicked out, then belatedly realised that if his captor was holding his arm, chances are likely he's not in striking range. He twisted away and felt chilled again as the blanket fell away, or maybe pulled away, he had no idea. 

He heard voices but couldn't make out the words. It was always difficult making out actual words in dreams. He lashed out again and found a mark, his hand stinging afterward. That very same hand was quickly captured and he felt ... something. Warmth. 

Dreams liked to lie. 

Screaming, he snatched his hand away and rolled, attempted to get away but only succeeded in falling to the floor. His speed was gone. 

He smashed his fist into the floor, and again. Repeatedly smashing in agony, wanting to wake up from this blasted dream. Soon as he felt a weight at his back, he twisted and punched, connecting with bone but the weight never left. He gave in and slumped down to the floor, letting the darkness overtake him. 

\----------------------------------------------

"I got him," Kyle told him as he watched the Hunter wrap himself around Barry with the lightest of pressure, which was all the more easily done when Kyle misted up a bit. 

"You sure?" Hartley inquired dubiously. "I don't want him hurting himself anymore than he already has." He absentmindedly rubbed at the bruise on his own cheek, not noticing the blood on his knuckles. 

"Yes. Plenty of practice," Kyle confirmed as he relocated themselves back on the bed. 

Hartley winced at that comment, knowing the full truth of those words. Kyle had certainly had plenty of practice with him during these last few months. 

"I know," Hartley sighed. "It's just ... I thought ... he seemed fine last night but then ... " He fisted his bleeding knuckles and punched the mattress in frustration. "I shoulda ... argh!" 

"You did nothing wrong," Kyle spoke soothingly. "Every person, different. Every mind, different. Every experience, different. You could not have known." 

Pressing a hand to Barry's back, Hartley saw that everything looked normal within. Physical injuries were always the easiest to deal with, it was the Mind that was the most difficult. He knew Kyle spoke the truth. 

"Everything okay?" Leonard appeared at the door, speaking quietly. 

He sighed again. "Yeah, nightmares. Sorry if we woke you." 

Leonard shook his head. "No worries, I was still up. Anything you need?" 

He was about to decline but then thought of something that might help. "Maybe one of those drinks that helps me out? Once he wakes up again, I can get him to drink it down." 

Leonard nodded and headed out to the kitchen. 

Turning back to the others, Hartley fingered the collar. "Damn, I hate using this thing but couldn't afford for him to dash off across the planet. Who knows what a panic state will do to him out there." 

The dampener collar was the first one Barry had worn all those weeks ago, before the wrist bands were created. The collar subdued the speedster's powers completely with no chance of tapping into them. The wrist bands were much safer as his powers can be tapped into when necessary. 

"Best to leave it on for now until he's calmed down," he added. 

Kyle hummed in agreement as he kept holding on to Barry. A moment later, Leonard appeared and set the drink on the nightstand. Hartley mumbled a "Thanks" as the other retreated back to his own room. 

"Sleep," Kyle ordered him just as Hartley yawned. 

There really wasn't anything he could do right then, not until Barry woke up again at least. Settling himself down on the bed, Hartley closed his eyes knowing that Kyle will keep a watchful eye on the speedster. He wondered if he could even drop off to sleep. 

He needn't have worried about not sleeping as the next thing he knew, he felt Barry shifting. Glancing at the clock, he saw that two hours had passed. 

"Barry?" Hartley spoke softly as he pushed himself up and placed a palm to his friend's back again, sending forth some of his own energies. 

"Hrmmngh," came the sleepy reply. 

He watched as Barry's breathing regulated, his head turning slightly, an eye cracking open. "Hnn?" 

"Yeah, I'm here," Hartley sighed in relief. "Let me get this off you." It may have been too soon but he reached out anyway and removed the collar. Yellow sparks appeared across the body before flickering away. Barry sighed as his body relaxed. 

"Can you drink this?" Hartley asked. It was a moment before Barry nodded, then Kyle helped sit him up against the headboard. 

Barry downed half the drink before asking, "Hap'?" 

"Bad dream. What do you remember?" The rest of the drink disappeared and Hartley placed the empty glass back on the nightstand. 

Barry shook his head. Hartley didn't know if Barry couldn't remember or if he just didn't want to talk about it. 

Reaching for his hand, Hartley lightly trailed his fingers along it. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay, we're okay. Okay?" 

He saw that familiar spark of understanding in his friend's eyes, felt the other's hand as Barry trailed his own fingers up Hartley's arm, feeling the fingers as they reached his cheek. Hartley didn't wince, it was only a slight sting compared to what he's used to, but he felt nauseated as Barry winced in fear, fingers retreating. 

"You ... I ... " Barry was definitely scared and Hartley had never seen this in his friend before. 

"I'm fine, nothing you did," Hartley tried to reassure him but the fear only grew as those eyes landed on another bruise and another, then froze at the gash in his side. Hartley hadn't even noticed that one until the eyes refused to leave it. "Really, I'm fine." 

Barry's eyes closed and Hartley feared the worst. When they opened again, they looked listless, like death itself. He reached for Barry but the other pulled away. 

"I ... I ..." 

"Barry!" Hartley's lunge was too late as his friend, his partner, vibrated and zipped off, phasing through the wall in his haste to get away. "BARRY!" 

He was stunned and felt incredibly sick. 

"Hart?" Kyle's voice reached his ears but he didn't want him around right then. He twisted out of the other's grasp on his shoulder and got up off the bed. 

Ignoring the Hunter, he got dressed and headed out, collecting a set of keys along the way. He didn't know where he was going, just that he needed air. 

Slamming the helmet on, he kicked the bike into gear and roared off. 

He didn't know how long he tore through the streets of Central City but eventually he found himself pulling up to the Rogue Base. 

Pulling his helmet off, Hartley sighed again. He really didn't want to go in there but he figured he had better start packing up his stuff lest they start rummaging again, finding more dangerous items. 

"Hey, Hart! How's it goin'? Long time no see ... ouch! You look messed up, what happened?" 

Hartley confirmed that there was no going about this calmly as he slammed his fist into Axel's jaw, reopening some of his own cuts. He didn't care what damage he did to the brat's face. 

"Fucking asshole, what's your problem?" Axel growled. 

"Yeah, mate, what's been shoved up yer fuckin' ass?" Digger stood up from the couch where he was lounging with a book. 

He ignored the Aussie and headed down to his room. He didn't get very far as Roscoe exited his own bedroom, blocking his path. 

"Out of the way, Dill," Hartley growled. 

"Not until you calm down, asswipe," Roscoe growled back. "What's eating you? He musta healed up by now, huh?" 

Hartley closed his eyes in an attempt to calm his own breathing. He never thought it possible but he was greatly wishing he still had some of the Dark Force within his body. He really wanted to lash out at the prick, at all of them. 

Oh, fuck it. 

Snapping his eyes open, he lunged at Roscoe, knocking the other flat on his back. He punched him in the face, and again, and again. He delighted in hearing bones snap in the cheek, jaw, nose, seeing the blood spurt out. 

"Christ, mate, get a bloody grip on yerself," Digger caught his arms and pulled him off of Roscoe. 

"Digg, let him go," Mardon's voice filtered down to them and it was a tone that even Hartley paused at. 

"Fuck, Mard, ye ain't lettin' him get away with smashin' us around, eh?" Digger sounded annoyed as he let go of him. 

Mardon approached them and glanced over at Roscoe. "He's the Boss' toy, 'course he has every right to smack you assholes around." 

That comment snapped him completely. "Ain't nobody's toy or plaything," Hartley seethed, speaking in a deadly calm, turning toward Mardon. "Nobody orders me around, most especially not you insufferable gits. I can't believe you, Mark. I thought you would have been the most sensible one down here but you are the absolute worst piece of shit I have ever known." 

Mardon's eyes danced with fury. "Watch it ... " 

He crowded right into Mardon's space. "If I were you, I'd be watching it," he snarled and snatched the wand right of the Wizard's hand and snapped it. 

Tossing the pieces away, Hartley turned and headed to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Leaning heavily against the door, he took a few precious moments to catch his breath. Glancing around the room, he winced at the chaos. Everything was strewn all over the place, quite a few broken pieces, papers scattered throughout. 

He sighed as he stepped around lightly, belatedly wondering how the heck he was going to get his stuff moved over to Len's place. The motorcycle can only carry so much, which was not much at all. 

Tipping the mattress clear of all the broken shards of something, he then slumped down on it. He felt the tears forming in the back of his eyes. Just like this bedroom, he felt shattered and broken. 

It was a few minutes before he realised Sam was standing in the room. 

"Bloody hell you want?" Hartley snarled as he wiped his eyes dry. 

Sam sighed and Hartley refused to look at him, refused to see how forlorn the other looked. 

"Look, Hart, when Mardon mentioned it, seemed like a good idea at the time. We didn't think how ... " 

Hartley turned on him. "Yeah, you didn't think, you NEVER think! What, you expected me to come here with open arms and forgive you?" 

"Uh," Sam blinked and took a step back as Hartley took a step forward with fists clenched. 

"Fuckin' bloody likely," Hartley snarled and turned toward his closet. 

Hauling out all the bags he could find, he started filling them up with items he retrieved from various hidden compartments. Roaming around the main portion of the bedroom, he rooted through the debris and sorted everything into two piles: pack and junk. 

"Use this," Sam spoke up a few minutes later. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Sam tap the mirror behind the door. "Toss your stuff through, they'll end up at your other place." Sam left him to his packing, shutting the door behind him. 

Looking through the mirror, Hartley could see that it was connected to his bedroom at Len's place. He began tossing his bags through, unmindful of the mess they'll make as they landed. He'll sort through them all later. 

Twenty minutes later he had gathered up everything he wanted and had them all tossed through the mirror. He even sent over a chair and small table. He debated on the mini-fridge but figured he can always get a new one. The chair and table were important though, as he's had both for many years, and each has their own hidden little secrets within and various codes carved throughout. All the mini-fridge contained was a half bottle of water and an unclaimed can of Mountain Dew. He retrieved the latter and placed it inside his satchel, along with a sweater, notebook, and gloves. 

Leaving the debris, after assuring himself that there was literally nothing of importance hidden within the piles, he headed out. Mardon blocked his path to the outside world. 

"Hart ... " 

"Shove it, Mardon. I've no interest in anything you have to say, what any of you have to say. Don't expect to see me again." 

Pushing his former friend aside, Hartley hurried out and kickstarted the bike again. He really didn't know where he was going this time so long as it was away from that blasted place. 

The red fuel light blinked on as the bike sputtered then died. The sun was beginning to dip in the horizon; Hartley hadn't realised it was so late. Glancing around, he recognised the area as one he had always ran to when he was a kid. Across the Keystone bridge, the road turned three ways ... straight ahead was Keystone, the road going right went East to Gotham, and the road to the left led to various farmlands and eventually a secluded grove of trees with a small hill that was perfect for overlooking the river as it flowed northward. 

He found himself on the edge of that grove. Leaving the bike next to the hill, he headed down to the river itself and perched himself on a slab of rock. There he sat for countless hours thinking about nothing. 

* * * *

Leaning against a tree, keeping a watchful eye over his friend, the light-haired tech tapped out a message on his cell phone. Hartley's friends will want to know where he was. 

Pocketing the cell, he went over and sat down, grasping his friend's hand. He said nothing as the elder tech squeezed his hand tightly and unleashed his anguish, tears flowing uncontrollably. 

\----------------------------------------------

Running so fast that he felt his bones rattle, Barry wondered how much faster he would need to go before his skull would shatter. He really wanted to be rid of all that he had done to his friend, his partner, his Hart. Just the thought of him lashing out at his friend is way more than enough to sicken him, to make him want to ... 

He slammed into a tree as he faltered, uncaring as to what happened to his speed. Likely nothing as he really wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Probably tripped over a rock or something. Wouldn't be the first time. 

He had no idea how long he had been running. Considering the pretty colours of the sunset surrounding him, he figured it had been awhile. Gazing at the colours, he didn't register the fact that they sparked and swirled around him, then settled into familiar surroundings. The tree next to him flickered out of existence. 

Soft footsteps behind him clued him in. He wondered when it was that he entered his own private realm. 

"Go away, Gideon," Barry told his Guardian. He really did not want to have this conversation. 

"Hartley does not blame you, Barry," the tone was soft, comforting, soothing ... not what he needed right then. 

"He should," Barry clenched a fist, "I hurt him, with my hands, nobody else." 

"You were in the grip of a powerful nightmare." Leave it to Gideon to point out the truth. 

"Doesn't matter," he growled. "No matter what condition I'm in, no matter if I'm in control of my own actions or not, I DO NOT HURT Hartley, EVER!" He felt the rage deep within, at himself, for losing control. 

"Never have I hurt him, I should never hurt him ... I hurt him ... he's hurt ... because of me ... " 

He rambled the same thoughts over and over again, unable to break free of them. He had no idea how long he wailed when his Guardian spoke again. 

"It was the others who hurt him, never you. In capturing you, they hurt their friend. They hurt you. If Hartley really blamed you, how is it you are still alive?" 

That caught his attention. It's true, if Hartley were really angry with him, then he wouldn't have removed that dampener collar, he wouldn't have been able to get away, he wouldn't be here in his Speed Force. If Hartley really wanted to eliminate him completely, he's the one guy in the entire multiverse that has the right knowledge to do so. Despite all the dangerous foes Barry has faced over the years, Hartley truly is the only one that could wipe the speedster from existence. 

"I ... " he really didn't know what to say. 

Gideon seemed to have a line of thought worth pursuing. "You care for Hartley as much as Hartley cares for you. With your connection, nothing can ever pull you apart. You both have tackled many hurdles together, and emerged all the stronger. This is another such hurdle." 

"I ... ran out on him," Barry wailed again as his guilt changed direction. 

"Oh, Barry," Gideon sighed sadly, yet in an understanding way. 

Some more time passed as Barry floundered in his torrential anguish. He's not sure when exactly it happened, or even how, but he felt a blue flicker from deep within. It felt strange, yet somehow familiar, comforting, warm. Focusing on that blue spark, he recognised it as his friend's signature, which couldn't be possible as Hartley doesn't have blue sparks, he's green. 

"Hart ... " Barry began as he stood up, still focused on that blue spark that seemed to be pulsating. 

"Best answer the summons," Gideon smiled. 

If Barry had to describe that spark, its purpose, it really felt as Gideon says, a Summoning. 

"I ... " Again, Barry was at a loss for words, but Gideon understood. 

"Of course, go." 

Without another word, Barry zipped out and soon found himself crossing the Central-Keystone bridge, taking the road leading north. 

\----------------------------------------------

Hartley wasn't sure why but he found himself explaining to his young friend some of what had happened. 

"My friends hurt him, other friends. The ones who stuck him with that band. They ... " he shook his head. "He's fine, physically, but they messed him up. He panicked, he lashed out, he ran off like a scared rabbit. I couldn't keep him from running, I wasn't strong enough." 

"He'll be back," Calvin spoke so certainly. 

"How the hell can you be so sure?" Hartley snapped at him. "You don't really know him, you don't know what they did, you didn't see the fear in his eyes this morning. He ran because he couldn't bear to see the sight of me hurt again. They took him only because he was mine. This never would have happened ... " 

"Regardless if he was yours or not, they still would have taken him as he proved to be a worthwhile challenge. From what I can understand, Rogues love a challenge and take pride in their conquests, for being the first ones to overcome a hurdle." 

Hartley had to smile at that truth, having felt that pride many times as he overcame many of his own challenges over the years. 

"How can you be so wise at such a young age?" 

Calvin grinned and squeezed his hand again. "Good eyes, good hearing, I tend to gravitate toward good people and soak in their warmth as I learn about them, what makes them tick, how they think. I learn from their experiences. In turn, I use my intel to help my friends because I also understand patterns and changes, the subtle differences, and combining all that knowledge, I can help protect my friends. It may not be much but every tiny bit helps, right?" 

Before Hartley could respond, he felt a melding upon his back, and arms wrapping tightly around him. He also felt Calvin releasing his hand. 

"Told ya," the young tech said softly as he stood up, his own pulse energies receding, and headed back up the hill. 

Leaning back into the embrace, Hartley felt calmed as those warm energies flowed through him. 

"I ... I ... " Barry hissed in his ear, unable to speak his thoughts. 

"I know, me too," Hartley responded as he held onto those arms wrapped around him. 

"Home," was all the warning Hartley got before he was whisked away. He didn't mind as he was with Barry, the one guy he trusted the most. 

* * * *

Watching the scene below him, Calvin grinned as he hauled out his cell phone. He sent off another text to Leonard, letting him know that all was well and that Barry zipped off with Hartley. He wasn't exactly sure where but Leonard would know. 

Receiving a text in response, he grinned and gathered up the abandoned motorcycle, not minding that it was out of fuel. There was a small gas station near the bridge where he can fill up and deposit the bike where it belonged. 

He really did enjoy helping out his new friends. 

\----------------------------------------------

Sending off his response message, Leonard sat back down. He was about to head off to see if he could find either Barry or Hartley but a text from an unknown number had told him where Hartley was. A short time later, another text arrived which he had just responded to. 

"All good?" his partner inquired, handing him a hot drink. 

Taking a sip, he felt his tension melt away. 

"Yeah, that kid, Calvin, found Hart at the Grove. He's okay. Barry has him now and Cal is returning my bike." 

"Good," Mick sounded relieved. "What about the others?" 

Leonard sighed, not knowing what to do about his blasted Rogues. When he checked in with Mardon earlier in the day to see if Hartley had been by, he got quite the earful about how Hart bashed in both Axel and Roscoe. Mardon was insistent on sending Leonard the doctor bills and the cost of the material required for a new wand. 

"I'll need to talk with Barry before I make a decision. The footage only showed so much, there's a lot of missing details. I need to know everything before I go over there and smash them around." Leonard groaned in frustration. 

"I know," Mick understood his predicament. "Can't believe what them gits did, either." 

Setting his mug on the table, Leonard pulled his laptop over and brought up the folder containing all the contracts he's working on. He pulled up the newest one he began working on that week. 

"This is the very reason why contracts are important," he growled out and began making alterations to what was already written. "Sooner I get this done, the safer Barry will be." 

He heard Mick grunt in agreement but paid no attention as his partner got up and left. Based on the increased noises from Hartley's room, he figured the pyro went to help Kyle with the huge pile of bags and items that appeared in the room. 

Taking a quick glance at the surveillance laptop that was also sitting on the table, he felt the last of the tension dissipate when he saw both of his boys appearing in Barry's bedroom. Relieved that they were safe, Leonard turned his attention back to Barry's contract. Sooner he got the double contract done for the speedster, the better. 

\----------------------------------------------

"If I had my way, I would want to stay right here, with you, forever." 

Hearing the tone, Hartley knew that his partner was not referring to their physical location. "Well, why don't you?" he responded just as softly as he rolled onto his back, still beneath his speedster. 

Barry sighed. "Responsibilities, duty, Meta Beasts using Central City as their playground ... " 

"Minor details, small hurdles," Hartley mentally shrugged as he tilted his eyes upward to capture those hazel ones. 

"There's also the fact that you're a Rogue," Barry growled in a frustrating way. 

Hartley sighed, knowing full well that Barry was still hurting. "That's never stopped us before. What they did ... " 

Barry interrupted him. "I know, they're their own group, acting on their own, despite being under Len's jurisdiction. You had nothing to do with that. Still, they knew we were together and they used us to get me and I ended up hurting you because of them." 

Barry shook his head and Hartley interrupted the thoughts that were about to come forth. "They're Rogues, Barry. They would have nabbed you eventually as Rogues love a challenge. Doesn't mean they should have done so." 

"I know, but still ... " Barry thumped the mattress. 

Unfurling that fist, Hartley curled his own fingers around the others. "Have I ever hurt you?" That was a loaded question and Hartley knew that he had hurt his friend in the past. He wanted to hear Barry's words to gauge his current state of mind. 

Barry reflected on the question and was a few minutes before responding. "No, you have never hurt me in the ways that mattered most. Even when your mind went dark, you have never truly hurt me." 

Hartley sighed in relief; Barry was thinking normally. "Have I hurt you recently?" 

"Never," Barry responded quickly then paused. "You're patient, you always take the time to make sure I'm okay. Even when you're poking and prodding at me, you're always checking in with me, making sure I'm communicating. Very much like Leonard, actually." 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed. "I taught Len the importance of constant communication." 

"Oh?" Barry raised himself up on his knees, settling himself down on Hartley's legs, his eyes sparking inquisitively. 

Hartley realised right then that Barry must not know of his past with Leonard. "What do you know?" 

Barry tilted his head in thought. "You're a Rogue, Len is the leader of the Rogues. I figured he must have picked you up along the way. I know you were with him after Gotham but before that? Well, you were with me at the CCPD and College but before that?" Barry shrugged. "You only ever really mentioned some family stuff, at how your dad was a prick and kicked you out. Bits and pieces of scattered info from your younger days but again, they were only tiny details of your life." 

Hartley nodded, knowing now that Leonard hadn't mentioned much of anything, if anything at all. He wiggled and adjusted himself so he was propped up against Barry's headboard, the other still sitting before him. 

"I've known Len and Mick for twenty years. They came upon me one night in an alley. I had ran off as my father was in one of his _moods_ and I got caught by some random street gang. They interrupted their activities and fought them off. I was more concerned about their wounds than my own. Back then, Len and Mick were under the tight reign of Len's father, Lewis. I really didn't understand the sort of father Lewis truly was back then, I was only seven remember, and all I knew was that they had to be better than my own home." 

He sighed at the memories and continued. "Eventually, I did go back home. Not much of a choice especially when my parents sent cops out looking for me, and I really didn't want to get Len and Mick in trouble. Still, every time I needed to get away for a few days, they looked out for me. Lewis really didn't care one way or the other so long as I pulled my own weight and didn't rat him out to the cops. Despite times still being difficult, they were much more bearable as I had Len and Mick to turn to. Things were good for awhile, and I was kept busy tinkering with gadgets that eventually proved useful in their operations. That's how I got them using comms." 

He shuddered at what's to come and let Barry capture his hands. He watched for a few moments as those perfectly long fingers lazily roamed around his hands. 

"Things changed when I was ten. After one of my father's drunken beatings, a business deal had gone wrong, I ran off again. This time, I ran into a new group who made me wish I were still at home. Len was alone at the time, Mick was out on one of Lewis' pointless errands. Len found us, and killed them all, only leaving the young boy alive to scurry off. Seven dead. He was furious and seeing as the Snart name was well known in their world, he used that reputation to strike fear into all the other gangs, declaring me off-limits, that he owned me. Never had a problem with any other gangs since. However, even though my father didn't know that at that time, he suspected that I was secretly running off to another guy, especially since I had been taken to the hospital. I had been both beaten and raped. That caused my father to grow more furious and kept a tighter leash on me." 

He snorted at the memory. "I was only ten and my father believed the worst of me. Still, that was nothing compared to when I turned twelve. One of the more powerful gangs, a direct rival of the Snarts, took on the challenge and captured me. It was war, many people got killed, most of Lewis' men were killed. I was their captive for a week and they made all the previous gang captures seem like kindergarten playtime. Cops were involved, I was in a coma for a month. My father knew then where I had been escaping to all those nights, but he still hadn't known the details. He only knew that gangs were involved, not specifically who. Believing he had figured out a new interest of mine, believing I enjoyed pain, he proceeded to beat me on a daily basis. It was always difficult covering up the damage before heading to school, I ended up missing a lot of days. Still, I kept at my studies and got that scholarship. I couldn't wait to get out of there." 

He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Summer before College, I ran into Len and Mick again. Just a casual encounter as they were out on a supply run and so was I, actually. Lewis accepted a job out in Paris, big bucks, and they had to go with him, didn't know how long they'd be over there. I told them about the scholarship, I'd be staying at the College so I'd be fine. They knew about my father. They promised to track me down soon as they get back. When I got home that day, my father was at his worst with the beatings and calling me every nasty name in the book. Apparently, he had only suspected in the past, but he now had the proof that I was gay. He had a guy on me, followed me that day, taking photos, seeing who I interacted with. Photos included me talking to Len and Mick amongst other things. One photo enraged my father more than the others, where we were in a side alley and Mick had his hand down the back of my pants, Len was embracing me. I had just had one of my breakdowns but my father ignored those photos and only focused on how close two criminals were to me. Naturally, he gave me what he thought I wanted. When I was bloody and raw, battered and bruised, he threw me out. Hadn't spoken to him since." 

He shifted on the bed as a leg had fallen asleep. "Anyway, College happened, then work, then Gotham and I fell back in with Len and Mick again. They hadn't been able to get back in contact with me when they came back from Paris as, again, Lewis was a real prick. Didn't bother me any as I had you during that time, and my new Gotham friends. Right now, I'm right where I want to be." 

Reaching over to the nightstand, Hartley grasped a water bottle and drank down half. Barry always had a bottle or two on the nightstand. 

After a few minutes of silence, Barry spoke. "When did they start?" 

It was a moment before Hartley realised just to what Barry was referring to. "Every time I escaped, they held me, comfortingly. After all those captures, they held me tightly, protectively. When I wasn't at home or at school, they kept me at their sides, watched over me. I think I was eleven when I wanted to know exactly what had been done to me, I wanted to understand. They explained things patiently. There was nothing sexual about their explanations at all, purely information even when showing me by prodding at the areas on my own body and using their own so I could have a better visual. At twelve, I became even more curious based on some of the things I was subjected to. Again, more explanations. It was when I was fourteen that things became less educational and more intimate. They allowed me to explore, figuring things out through experience, but with the single rule that I would only explore with them and nobody else. At that time, I didn't think anything of the rule as I only wanted to understand things better and they were the ones that were best able to help me. Thinking back to that time, I know, now, that they were instilling a new level of security within me. Anyway, it was closer to my fifteenth birthday when my explorations became even more intimate and they became more active as well, reciprocating each movement and feeling. We had never discussed the relationship as, we knew that back then, it was a relationship borne out of survival." 

He heard Barry sigh. "You were so young." 

Hartley nodded. "Yes, but even back then, Len and Mick took care of me. They never hurt me, always patient, never did anything that I didn't want. Very much like they are today." 

Barry nodded. "Yeah, you have a point. I know their patience and their infinite craving to keep me safe. I've seen how they react when you're around, how protective they are. I feel better knowing that you're with them rather than out on your own roaming who knows where. Have the others ever gotten to you?" 

Hartley knew Barry was referring to the other Rogues, Mardon and the others. "Not really. Just their annoying rough-housing but nothing serious. Nothing that hurt anyway, and nothing intimate." 

"Good," Barry leaned forward as he spoke and wrapped his arms around Hartley, pulling him in close. "I really don't like to share and would prefer to keep you here with me." Barry sighed and Hartley heard the unspoken "but". 

"Barry?" 

The other shook his head. "I can't, I know I can't. I realise that now. You belong with Len and Mick whether you're intimate or not. You also have Kyle who's actually your partner. Gods, the things he must be thinking during all those times I've been molesting you in his bed!" 

"BARRY!" Hartley snapped his friend out of his agonised groan. "Stop thinking like that, you've done nothing wrong, you're not doing anything wrong." 

"But ... " 

Hartley sighed and held tightly. "Look, Barry, yes, I have history with Len and Mick and I always will. I also have history with Kyle but more so in the past few months as he kept watch over me. I also have history with you, the most intimate of history. You may not know this, but when you're in my bed, sound asleep, Kyle is watching over both of us. Kyle is not a physical person, has very little interest in actual sexual activities, but he has his own ways to put me into a pure bliss state as he tackles my senses and my mind. It's, difficult to explain but he can do things to me that nobody else can, not even you. The point is, Kyle is protective, possessive, and the most deadliest Hunter in Central City, and is ranked 2nd in the entire country." 

Barry paled at that information and Hartley groaned. 

"The POINT, Barry, Kyle could have killed you anytime, easily, and without spilling a single drop of blood. However, he hasn't. Kyle likes you, approves of you, appreciates you being around. Most importantly, he loves how you protect me, how loyal you are toward me, and how well you take care of me. Even though he rarely shows emotions, I've known him long enough to pick up his moods, all the slight fluctuations in his breathing, twitches of muscles, fluttering of skin. He's as much protective of you as he is of me. Hate to tell you this, Barry, but you have me now and because of that, you're also stuck with Kyle. You can't get rid of either of us so easily." 

Barry blinked, taking in all that new information. "This is so ... so ... " 

"Confusing? Complicated?" 

Barry nodded and Hartley understood. 

"How do you feel when you're with Len and Mick?" Hartley inquired. 

Barry thought for a moment. "Safe, protected, relaxed. They help me unwind, release all my tension, stress, anxiety. I always feel recharged when they send me back out into the City again, more focused, alert, confident. I never knew I had so much negative energy flowing through me until they started knocking it all out. Come to think of it, even our battles before they captured me, I always felt better afterward. It's like they knew how to move me around that loosened up the tense muscles, and they made sure their heists provided me with the most enjoyment as I tackled them while on CSI duty. These days, I feel more protective of them as well. I want to make sure they're also fully charged, prepared for whatever the future may hold. Helping them helps me to keep Central City safe." 

"Good," Hartley beamed. "And me?" 

Barry flushed which intrigued him as Hartley knew how Barry felt, but his friend always had difficulty expressing those feelings verbally in a serious way. 

"Ah, good?" Barry was beet red now and Hartley couldn't help giggling. 

"Okay, I'm pleased to know I'm good, but seriously, how am I good? What is it that I do to warrant that ranking?" 

Barry shifted and nuzzled into the side of his neck. It was a few minutes before Hartley began hearing those barely audible words. 

"You make me feel good. In more ways than anyone ever has before. Inside, outside, all over. You are warmth, comfort, loyal, passion, pure. Despite your hardships, your true self has always emerged for me. When I'm with you, I feel complete. I'm at my strongest when you're with me. Knowing you are good, you are safe, makes me feel invincible. I'm normally not a possessive guy, but when it comes to you, I feel like a perfect match for Len's level of possessiveness. You are one lucky guy to have such extreme levels of possessiveness about you." 

Hartley blinked at finally hearing those words, and in a way stronger tone than he had ever expected. 

"You don't like to share," he prodded his partner, really wanting to know his thoughts. 

Barry nodded. "It's true, I don't like to share you. However, we're in a bit of a unique situation. Like it or not, we're stuck with Len, Mick, Kyle. I trust those three as much as you do and if they get in the mood to fuck around with you, who am I to stop them? Len and Mick certainly don't hold back when they're in the mood to tackle my ass, whether you guys are there or not. It's a strange thing we have going on, but I like it. However, I don't want to hear about some other dick going up your ass, clear?" 

"Uh," Hartley blinked, a recent memory flashing to mind. Naturally, Barry noticed. 

"Hartley???" 

"Um, well, you see ... " Hartley felt his own cheeks turning beet red. 

Barry gave that scolding parental sigh, then fell prey to an outburst of giggles. "Gotham?!" 

"Yeah ... " 

"Trustworthy?" Barry asked. 

"Very." 

"Nice?" 

Hartley had to think about that one for a moment. "Kind of a dick if you ask me." 

Barry giggled. "Cute?" 

"Umm ... " 

Clearly wanting to end the conversation, he shifted and kissed Barry. "Not as cute as you," he informed his speedster then pressed the other back down onto the bed. 

Grateful that everything was okay again, Barry was feeling better, he was feeling really good, Hartley tuned out the outside world and gave his partner his full attention, along with his entire body and mind. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry wiggled, but only enough to slot himself against Hartley again, wrapping his arms around his partner. He didn't insert himself this time, only held his friend close as the early rays of sunshine peeked through the curtain. 

"What's on your mind?" Hartley inquired sleepily. 

"This," came the reply. 

"Hmm?" 

Barry sighed, not quite sure how to explain. "This, all this, everything, you." 

"Mmm, nice to know I'm included. Seriously though, what's on your mind?" 

"Thinking about how different things would have been if I hadn't met you guys." Barry inhaled the scent of his best friend while he collected his thoughts. 

"Before all this, since the Particle Accelerator exploded, I couldn't feel much of anything. Well, I could, but everything was barely registerable. The slightest of touches, I couldn't feel those at all. The heavier the touch, such as a fist to my face, they only felt like taps. I just couldn't feel anything of the feelings I needed." 

"Hmm? And now?" 

"I don't know when it happened but I can feel everything again. All the soft touches, caresses, I feel them all." 

"Ah," Hartley laughed lightly, fully understanding. "Have you dated much since you came into your powers?" 

"No, well, two, maybe three different people. Never got anywhere." Barry sighed then nuzzled into that delectable neck. He always felt warm and cozy being this close to Hart. 

"The simple answer is fear," Hartley commented as he arched his neck for better access. "Back then, engaging in any kind of relationship was difficult as there was always the risk of your partner finding out you're The Flash, which meant you would have been constantly worried about them being attacked so you would have naturally ended the relationship for their own safety. Best way to do that was to turn your body off so you wouldn't feel any attachment, easier to break it off. Also, you would have been protecting them from yourself. Powers can easily go out of control in the heat of passion thus increasing the risk of hurting your partner. Out of fear for the safety of others, your body had become resistant to all kinds of touches. After all, you can heal, but they can't." 

"Huh," Barry pondered the words for a few moments. "What's different now?" 

"You're more relaxed, confident and secure in the usage of your powers." 

"Still dangerous," Barry pointed out. 

"True, but you're with those that can handle your powers. Barry, you likely don't realise this but we know you and we trust you. Sure, Len and Mick are merely humans but they're of a different breed, they're way tougher than they look, more resilient, and are way more than capable of handling you at full power. You needn't fear hurting them. And if you do, you got your healing powers to fix their bruises. Truth be told, you needn't bother. If they get a bruise while pummeling your ass, it's their own damn fault." 

Despite the seriousness of using his powers during sex, Barry giggled at Hartley's words. 

Hartley continued, "Also, we do have the means to subdue your powers if needed. I still have a few of those full dampener collars if you grow out of control, and the dampener field is still installed. We value safety, both yours and our own so every piece of tech I create is with safety in mind first, and your pleasure second." 

Barry felt the truth in those words and shifted themselves to gain better access to those pinkish buds. As much as Barry adored the Cold Gun, he had to admit that Hartley's nipples came mighty damn close to the top of his addiction list. 

"Thank you," he spoke softly while his nails pinched sharply. "Everywhere else, I'm the one protecting people. However, here, with you, with the others, you guys are looking out for me. I really don't want to be anywhere else." 

"Wouldn't want you anywhere else, either," Hartley shared his sentiment, gasping for air at each pinch. 

Barry giggled and nipped his earlobe, hearing Hart's own pleasurable sigh. As much as he wanted to stay in bed all day, he knew they couldn't but he took advantage of every precious second because his Hart was worth it. 

"When?" 

Hartley rolled onto his back and gazed up at him. "Couple hours. That's when Ray said he'd be here but he could be early, late, or not arrive until tomorrow." 

"Mmm," Barry kissed him then rested his forehead on the other. "Considering there's a Dwarf Star involved, it's likely he's already waiting for you." 

"Ready and waiting, young padawans! Now, Barry, if you wouldn't mind getting up so Hartley can get over to the airstrip just outside the Gem Cities, then we can be on our way. Can't keep a Dwarf Star waiting now, hear?" 

Soon as he heard the voice, soon as he heard Hartley's giggle, Barry growled and vowed to destroy whoever had the audacity to install a panel into his bedside table where just anyone can access, call in, and interrupt their activities. 

\----------------------------------------------

A few miles off the road leading to Gotham, Leonard gazed around at this hidden airstrip, nestled amidst a huge forest. Except, there were way less trees than he expected there to be right in the middle. 

From what he understood, this land, this forest, this airstrip, belonged to ... to ... from all the jabbering going on at the time, he couldn't really figure out if the owner is ARGUS, STAR Labs, Wayne Enterprises, LuthorCorp, CatCo, Daily Planet, or even PalmerTech. Aside from the PalmerTech Jet getting refueled on the strip, he really had no idea what interest Ray Palmer would have in a forest just outside of Central City and Keystone. 

"Everything okay?" 

The words and the bag dropping on the pavement caught his attention. Scanning the area one more time, he turned to take in the sight of his own special Tech. Attired in his customary darker clothing, Leonard did notice that the belt was the same shade of green as those pretty eyes. Nevermind the fact that there were three daggers attached to that belt on one side, and various tech gadgets along the other. And those were the extra gear that he could see. 

"Yeah," Leonard responded and pulled his friend in close, holding tight, and feeling the outline of various other gadgets and weapons within the clothing. Maybe one extra, as well, which caused him to grin. "You?" 

He nudged his knee over a little and felt exactly what he thought he felt. Only a short while ago, there wouldn't have been any reaction at all, but since the healing, Hartley had been feeling so much better, more alive again. 

"Yes," came the reply. "Will miss you guys." 

Leonard leaned his head down a little, enough to capture an ear. "It's only for a week, you'll be back." 

"I know," Hartley responded, then giggled as Leonard stroked behind the ear with his tongue. 

Releasing him, Leonard couldn't help but feel very fond of his long-time friend, and feeling pleased that Hart has found some true friends that are as loyal to him as the youngster is to them. 

"Who knew there was a strip here, huh?" Hartley mused, looking around. "I thought for sure I was given the incorrect coordinates, considering there's a huge forest here but, here we are." 

"Who exactly owns this place again?" Leonard asked as his ear caught the faint sound of footsteps and a clinking of metal. 

Hartley shook his head. "Uncertain, it was hidden within the babble to confuse all of us so I imagine it's top secret stuff. Although, I think I caught a hint of Justice something or other." 

"Huh," Leonard pondered that for a moment. He knew that there were others across the country who protected their cities just like the Flash does for Central City, but he didn't think they actually helped out one another enough times to warrant a club of some sort. 

A creak of leather caught his attention and he automatically pulled out his Cold Gun and slammed the muzzle into the cheek of the bastard who had slid his arms around Hartley, and kept sliding downward. Arms that were fully loaded with weaponry including wrist gun attachments. 

"You always this grumpy first thing in the morning?" Those grey eyes peered into his ice blue ones, challenging but not villainous. 

"Nah, this is me at my nicest," Leonard grinned his most dangerous grin and clicked the safety OFF, daring the other to continue. 

"Oh, good, must be my lucky day then," the other commented and Leonard couldn't believe he had the audacity to jam a roaming hand down the front of Hartley's pants. 

"Must you do this NOW?!" Hartley's tone startled Leonard as it was the tone his friend often used when Barry was feeling frisky at inappropriate times. 

"Mmmhmm," was the reply as shirt buttons began to pop open, the jacket was already left hanging open. 

Leonard sighed and relaxed his stance slightly, at seeing how much at ease his friend was. Clearly, Hartley didn't feel any sense of danger from this asshole, which means this could only be one guy. 

"Lawton?" 

Hartley gasped and shuddered under the ministration of both hands. Leonard knew he'd be dry but he damn well knew an orgasm when he saw one. He just couldn't believe it happened right in front of him with some other guy molesting him. 

"Mmm, that's me," Floyd responded as he held Hartley while the other settled his breathing, rather securely, Leonard noted, as no amount of wiggling would break him free. 

He sighed then pressed the Cold Gun harder into the Hunter's cheek. "Mind telling me what you're doing here? Thought you were in Gotham." 

"I was in Gotham," Floyd neatly maneuvered a leg around to capture Hart's leg that had begun moving. Unfortunate for him, that lightened his hold around the chest, only slightly but enough for Hartley to wiggle free, twist around and smash him face-first into the ground. 

Holstering his gun, Leonard groaned in annoyance and was tempted to walk away but the Gotham Hunter's next words brought his attention back. 

"I was here to deliver a message and was about to go back but someone reached out to me wanting to set up a meeting." 

"Odd," Hartley commented as he jammed a knee into the other's back, keeping him down. "Thought the Board didn't do face-to-face meetings." 

"This one seemed real eager to meet me. I figured it was some assignment that was too private for the Board. You've gotten better." Floyd grinned up at his attacker. 

Hartley snorted and grinned back just the same. 

"Who was your contact?" Leonard asked, as he really wanted to know who in Central knew that the Gotham Hunter was in town. 

"Dunno, never gave me a name," Floyd responded, deep in thought. "I did meet him, though. Seemed rather ordinary, skinny, and really chatty. I never once had a client that was so chatty. It was about an hour before he started giving me any actual information. Apparently, he was wanting another guy to do the job but he couldn't track him down then heard I was in town and reached out to me. The job ... " a pause, and a sigh, " ... unimportant. Conflicted with my interests, I turned it down. Hung around for a few days as I figured on catching a ride back to Gotham." 

With a glint of mischief in his eyes, Floyd neatly raised himself up off the ground, unmindful of the weight on his back. Turning quickly, he kissed Hartley, long and deep. 

Leonard was about to pull his Cold Gun back out again when the Hunter released Hart. 

"Now, then," Floyd spoke as he gave a final nuzzle to Hart's neck and another fondling grope, making sure that Leonard saw, "You two finish your chat and I'll meet you," he nipped the tip of Hart's nose, "at the plane. Don't be long now." 

"You do know that's a jet," Hartley growled at the laughing Hunter who headed off. 

Leonard really didn't know what to think about the Gotham Bounty Hunter. Oh, he knew that Hartley trusted him but that doesn't mean he had to trust him as well. 

"Umm," Hartley began, looking rather flustered. 

"Floyd Lawton," Leonard knew that particular Umm. 

"Yeah," Hart ran a hand through his hair, which he never does unless really embarrassed which is extremely rare. 

Leonard sighed but not in annoyance. "You trust him?" 

"Yeah." 

Leonard nodded. "He looked out for you back then?" 

"Yes. Head of Security at the Manor." 

"Officially." Leonard knew now about double contracts and Floyd Lawton definitely had one of those. 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed. 

"I see," Leonard couldn't be angry with Hartley, isn't angry with him now, but he dearly wished he knew more about what happened in Gotham a few years ago. What he really wanted to know was information on Floyd Lawton so that he'd know exactly how he was keeping Hartley safe. 

"Uh, yeah," Hartley was at a loss for words as he straightened his clothing, which immediately became a lost cause as Barry zipped in behind. 

"Oh good, you're still here, you haven't left yet, I was worried you had because I did forget to tell you some things and you know how whenever one remembers to mention something it always becomes too late but you know how I try not to be late but sometimes I can't help myself especially when I get caught up in things NOT NOW CISCO, give a guy 5 seconds will ya? Anyway, you got your sweater, satchel, got that fancy vibroblade with the twenty different settings, your notebook, cell phone charger as I want to get pics every hour, oh and don't forget the mini-fridge on Ray's jet is loaded with water so make sure you drink one down each hour and stay close to Kyle as I just saw a really creepy lookin' guy ... LATER CISCO, BUSY ... geezes, can't even give a guy 5 seconds ... " 

Leonard tried, he really did, but with Barry in full Flash gear rambling on at super speed and practically vibrating Hartley into a second orgasm, he burst out laughing. 

"Barry! Good to see you again. Here to see us off?" A very bright and cheerful Ray Palmer came up behind Barry. 

"Eeeep!" Barry turned redder than his outfit and spun around to face their host. Leonard took that moment to help Hartley readjust himself. 

"Trust me, I'll make sure to get Hartley and Kyle back in one piece, well, two pieces seeing as they're two different people, but I'll get them back intact." Ray was positively beaming. 

"Good, good, that's great!" Barry beamed back, fully back under control. "It's great you're able to go along." 

"Wouldn't miss up a chance to see a super rare Dwarf Star," Ray replied. "Imagine the new possibilities I could incorporate into my suit. Plus, I hear the Wayne Airstrip is one of the fanciest ones in the entire country. I want to test their security especially with the upgrades I've done on my jet. Which reminds me, wheels up in ten, so make sure you're somewhere IN the jet when we take off, and not outside the jet as believe me, it's not easy getting someone into the jet when we're way up above the clouds. Not unless you can phase, which I'm pretty sure you can't ... can you?" 

Those last comments were directed at Hartley who just shook his head. 

"Good, didn't think so, so best you make sure you're in the jet, clear?" Ray tilted his head to listen to the comm in his ear. "I gotta go talk with the pilot so I'll see you in the jet, not on it, not outside it, but INSIDE. See ya later, Leonard, Barry!" With a wave, Ray dashed off toward the jet. 

"I suppose there are different interpretations to being on the jet?" Barry inquired as he latched onto Hartley again but only for a few seconds. "Oh, c'mon, Cisco!" Barry growled, and with a quick kiss, he zipped off again. 

Leonard sighed in annoyance but he really couldn't be angry with his Flash either. 

"Umm," Hartley began. 

Leonard turned Hart around and pushed him toward the jet. "Get the hell out of here before someone else decides to think it's a good idea to molest you in front of me again." He growled but in the way that always made Hart blush and giggle at the same time. 

He watched as Hartley collected his bag and dashed over to Kyle who was standing at the steps talking with Floyd. Leonard saw how his own Hunter was lit up, practically beaming, and he knew then that both Hunters also had some sort of history that he really wanted to know about. 

Minutes later, his friends disappeared into the jet, and he watched as the jet rolled silently down the runway and up into the air. He had no idea what fuel the jet used or what kind of engines it had but he was quite certain that Star City's brightest technician built every single piece from scratch. 

Turning, he headed to his bike and back home again. 

\----------------------------------------------

A few hours later, after waking up from a nap, Leonard headed out to the kitchen. 

"What's that?" 

Mick was just settling down into his chair at the table and had caught sight of a piece of paper. "Hrmm, looks like Red left a note." 

"Huh," Leonard wondered as he glanced over the newest selection of caffeine packets. Choosing a strong brew with a hint of cinnamon, he then sat down to wait. "What's it say?" 

"Was here, did stuff, shoppin' done, was 'bout to do more stuff but then Geek Boy called. Says he'll be back soon as he's free." 

Getting up to pour himself the freshly brewed coffee, he took that moment to gaze around. Indeed, the kitchen had been cleaned, along with the common area, and the entryway. Opening the fridge, he found it well stocked as well. He pulled out the plate of fresh pastries, the kind where the filling always tasted best with the slight chill from the fridge, yet somehow the pastry portion always remained soft. 

"Nice!" Mick commented as he bit into one. "Def' my recipe. Think he's learnin' a few tricks 'round here." 

Leonard could only grin at that comment, sharing his pyro's sentiment, regarding both the pastries and Barry himself. He may not appear to be paying attention when he's around, but Barry has certainly picked up many things that Leonard wasn't even sure if the speedster had even realised just _what_ he has picked up. 

He was just finishing his drink when he heard Barry come in. 

"I swear if I gotta roam around the sewers of Central City catching mutant frogs again, I'm shipping myself off to Gotham." 

Within moments, he heard the shower in Hart's bathroom turn on. 

"Dun lookit me, know nuttin 'bout mutant frogs. Turtles, yes, not frogs." Mick chuckled and gathered up their empty mugs. 

Figuring on gathering up any dirty laundry, Leonard did just that as he followed Barry's trail of murky clothing. Tossing them into the basket just inside the bathroom door, he remained standing in the doorway as he listened to Barry's running commentary about how Meta Beasts are breeding. 

"Hopper I wanted to call it, but noooo, Cisco was dead set on Ribbinator," Barry had stepped out of the shower and was toweling himself off. "Okay, sure, it did have those laser beams in the back set of eyes but honestly, what part of that Frog was considered a terminator?" 

"Uh," Leonard blinked as Barry stopped in front of him. He really had no idea what Barry was going on about. "Frogs hop?" 

"YES!" Barry beamed. "You understand!" 

Turning, Barry rummaged through the various bottles of lotions and other items on the shelving unit. Leonard watched in amusement as the speedster found what he was looking for, squirted gel into his hands and fixed up his hair. Once done, the hair remained the same, delectably tousled. 

Unable to help himself, Leonard moved in behind Barry and puffed out some air along the back. He grinned at the panic. 

"Ahhhh! I just fixed my hair, you jerk!" Barry immediately began fixing what Leonard messed up. 

Leonard leaned his head in and chuckled in Barry's ear. "So, you were saying something about mutant frogs?" His mouth was so close to the ear that he could feel the twitches with the vibration of his tone. 

Barry turned his head and glowered at him. "Honestly, were you not paying any attention?" 

That very common phrase caused Leonard to raise an eyebrow at Barry. In response, Barry paused and sniffed. "Huh, you smell like cinnamon." 

"Gee, I wonder why," he snorted, then immediately straightened up as Barry tasted him around the lips. 

"Mmm, you even taste like cinnamon. Definitely buying more of those packets on the next supply run." 

With a final inhale and lick, Barry wandered out into the bedroom and began rummaging around for something. Likely a pair of pants, or boxers ... something to replace the towel with anyway. 

Leonard grinned as he had other ideas in mind. 

Following his Flash into the bedroom, he amused himself with watching various articles of clothing being tossed around, usually after a sniff test. A laundry day was quickly rising to the level of utmost importance. 

Barry held up a pair of green boxers. "Who the hell wears green boxers?! Aside from Oliver of course but still ... green?!" 

Leonard briefly wondered if Barry even realised who's bedroom he was raiding. A lot of articles he was tossing was of the darker colours including various shades of green. Neatly ducking as those offensive boxers were tossed his way, he reached out to Barry and shoved him onto the bed. 

"Wha ... " Barry sputtered and rolled over onto his back. 

Selecting a small case from the assortment lined up on the shelf, Leonard pulled out the green band with the blue waterdrop inserted in the front. It was nearly an exact duplicate of the initial one made out of Lubrilon that was destroyed a few days ago. 

"New band?" Barry inquired as he sat up looking very interested. 

Leonard read the details on the accompanying card and was immensely pleased. "Yes, new band." 

Testing the clasp, seeing that it functioned just like some of the other bands, he then attached it to Barry's right wrist. 

"Pretty," Barry awed as he fingered the band. "First one that isn't just a basic metal or leather colour. It's not made of Lubrilon either. Interesting." 

Seeing the shimmer in the blue waterdrop, Leonard realised exactly what this new band was made out of; not that he would tell Barry, at least, not right away. 

Tugging on the band, he asked, "How's it feel?" 

Barry's eyes went into that inner thinking mode, creating a tiny spark in the process. "Good," came the cheerful reply. "This is a Healing Band, I can feel the healing energies still active. The rest of my powers are also there but just out of reach. Hart had always wanted to make more bands geared toward specific abilities while locking out others. That Ice Band had a really neat bonus effect. This new one is keeping the Healing energies flowing." 

Barry then looked up at him with a quizzical look. "You sure this band is safe?" 

Considering what his partner had recently just been through, Leonard fully understood the hesitancy. 

"Yes. It came off the shelf clearly labeled 'Ready For Use' and has a detailed card of instructions, functions, how best used ... " he flipped the card over that he was holding. " ... cleaning instructions, along with all the various warnings and what not to combine it with." 

Reaching forward, he pressed his thumbs in the proper places and gave that tricky little twist that Hartley had showed him on other bands. The band popped open easily. "There, you see? Nothing to worry about." He snapped it shut again and heard Barry's relieved sigh. 

Glancing around the room, Leonard saw what he was looking for in the corner and brought Barry's attention over to it. "There's the Reject box, with a lid and a lock. No chance of accidently using anything in there, not unless you were wandering around and accidently stubbed your toe, causing it to phase in the process and well ... " Barry seemed to pale at the thought, " ... just don't stub your toe, clear?" 

"Crystal," Barry squeaked out then began to giggle. Leonard glanced back at him inquiringly. "Sorry, sorry, just a bit strange feeling paranoid when I shouldn't ... " 

He cut him off. "Nothing to apologise for, Barry. It's good to feel paranoid or uncomfortable especially when facing the unknown. It helps put you on high alert so you won't get hurt." 

Barry took in those words then growled softly. "Still means nothing if I'm not able to get myself out of a situation." 

Leonard sat down next to Barry and captured his eyes. "You still survived, Barry. You knew how to endure a most difficult situation. I don't condone their actions at all. They didn't have the right knowledge and they put your life, as well as their own, at great risk. Who knows what would have happened if they had continued. Even with the full dampener, you may have tapped into your powers on a pure survival instinct and killed them all without even being conscious of the fact. We just don't know. There are still too many unknown factors about your powers." 

Barry sighed and flopped down on his back again. "I know. I can't really fault your Rogues, though. Like you said, they didn't have the proper knowledge. Still, they did do a lot of things right, like the capture itself was a thing of beauty." 

"Oh?" Leonard blinked, not understanding how Barry could be praising his Rogues. 

"Truth," Mick spoke up from the doorway. "Heard da kids talkin' dat night. Red was completely in awe of them guys." 

"Who wouldn't be?" Barry leaned up on his elbows as he glanced up at Mick. "They're Rogues. They had a plan and executed it perfectly. The capture part at least. It just started going downhill with all the unknown variables that even Mardon couldn't predict. Again, it was the lack of proper knowledge. They didn't know how my body functioned or my mind. I also didn't have _that_ kind of specific knowledge on them either, although I did learn a lot that night." 

Barry sighed and turned to Leonard again. "When you go do your Big Bad Boss routine, don't be as hard on them as I know you want to be. Under the proper circumstances, they really didn't do anything bad, and there's no permanent damage." 

"Red's got a point," Mick piped up. "Of all the gangs out dere, we's lucky it was our gang that caught 'im." 

Leonard sighed and rubbed his eyes. There really was a lot of truth in what they were telling him but he was still pissed at what _his_ Rogues did. 

"Okay, fine, but I'm still not going to let them get away with what they did to you. No matter how much you admired some of their actions, no matter how much you're actually defending them, it's not right and will never be right. As much as I admire Kyle for focusing on getting you home, I really wish he had done more to them bastards than just putting them to sleep. I really wanted to head over there myself that night but you were, and always will be, top priority. How you can possibly find what they done to be ok, I will never know as that was definitely Not Okay." 

He struggled to keep his temper in check. It's not Barry he's angry with but the situation, and he's furious with his Rogues. "Look, Barry, sometimes I don't understand what you're thinking or can follow your line of thought, but from where I'm standing, I don't like what they did to you one single bit. I do have full right to set them straight in whatever physical capacity I choose. I get that I don't know fully what went on but I saw enough from the footage that makes my blood boil. You've heard their words, their tones, the actual strength they used and everything else. You're basing your reaction on all those little things, right?" 

Barry had paled as he spoke and received a nod in response. 

"Okay, I get it. Based on your wishes, I won't set them straight the way I very much want to do so. However, I still don't like it and I can promise you that if they get their hands on you again, I'm not holding back. You're mine and I don't want anyone else getting you in their clutches, no matter who the hell they are. It's too dangerous out there for you to be getting into the habit of sleeping around with other gangs." 

He watched as Barry blinked, taking in that declaration of ownership. The speedster may have figured out something like that already but this was the first time Leonard actually declared it so openly and forcefully. He had these feelings for awhile now, as deep as he has for both Mick and Hartley, but had never let on to Barry, until now. 

Leonard had been meaning to discuss their relationship for awhile now but just never had the nerve to bring it up. There were very few things in life that he balked at; discussing his feelings openly was one of them. He lost too many good friends over the years all because he started being openly honest with them. Well, considering they walked away, laughed, tried to kill him, they couldn't have been very good friends after all. 

He sighed and stood up, aiming for the door. He was in desperate need for some air to calm himself down. However, Barry's soft words brought his attention back. 

"I'm not saying that I want your Rogues to use me as their plaything again. I'm just admiring some of their work and I gained a lot of valuable intel, about themselves, and about myself as well." 

Leonard had his full attention on Barry as the other straightened up on the bed. "Even though things went wrong, I am glad it was your Rogues and not some other group. Mardon had a very strict No Kill policy. Others would not have been that nice. As careless and reckless as some of their actions have been, I could tell they learned a lot from you over the years. Still, they're not you. They don't have your specific expertise, your knowledge, your sensitivity and awareness. They don't know me like you do, the real me. They only saw me as some Meta that they can use for a short thrill ride. Once they realise that they can't do anything like that to me again, then they'll find their thrills elsewhere. Hopefully, someplace safe." 

By this time, Barry had stood up and was standing in front of Leonard. 

"Under my own abilities, in my right mind, I don't want to be anywhere else but here. Out there, it IS way too dangerous. Here, at this place, with you, it's where I want to be. Safer, controlled, comforting. We discussed this a bit a few weeks ago but not since. I can promise you that I have no interest in sleeping around. Even if I gotta put it in writing to make you believe me, I can assure you that I will always be at your side." 

It was Leonard's turn to blink, this time in disbelief at how forcefully those words entered his very core. New, different, yet very familiar and comforting. He didn't just hear the words, their tone, their meaning; he actually felt them. 

"Now, then," Barry continued huskily and stepped closer so that their noses were nearly touching, "planning on doing something about this fancy new wrist band?" 

Conversation over, Leonard ignored the fact that he was given a direct order, and kissed his Flash. 

\----------------------------------------------

All things considered, Barry felt like he had it pretty good down here. Sure, he could be engaging in various activities throughout the City, but laying face-down on the coffee table in the common area with his wrists and ankles latched onto the legs of the table was exactly where he wanted to be at that moment. 

Well, he had more preferable places to be, softer places like a bed, but this'll do, for now. Especially when a pyromaniac kept jamming various things up his ass. He really had to complement Hartley on the foresight to add bolts into the table legs, especially when one vibrational blast shot his whole body forward; if it weren't for the restraints, he'd likely have jolted right off and slammed into the wall. 

"Fuck, Mick!" Barry growled at the pyro who just laughed and slapped his ass. 

"Demanding, bugger," Mick chuckled and pulled out the latest dildo then slammed himself into Barry's ass. 

"Christ! Not what I meant!" Barry groaned, giving up on his protests, as Mick began fucking him in that very slow, agonising way that always killed him. Mick liked to be rough and annoyingly soft at the same time. Slam in hard, then go slow, then hard again, always mixing up the intensity and duration. It both aggravated and pleasured Barry in extreme ways. 

"How's he holding up?" Leonard stepped back into the room after having retrieved some items from his own bedroom. Barry had no idea what, nor did he look up to find out. 

"Peachy, just kill me already," he groaned out instead as his cock threatened to explode beneath him. Unfortunately, with this position, his cock was literally trapped beneath his body. 

He felt Len's hand trailing along his back, heard his chuckle. 

"Jes fine," Mick drawled out. "No chance of gettin' bored with dis ass." 

"Good." 

Barry cracked open an eye when he felt fingers on his chin; he hadn't even realised he had closed them. Feeling the thumb at his lips, he grinned and sucked it in. 

Leonard chuckled again and Barry felt his partner's breath against his ear. "Just the way you like it, huh? Strapped down on _my_ table, with _my_ pyro in your ass, and _my_ thumb in your mouth. Anyplace else you want to be?" 

Barry had two options: speak and release that tasty thumb, or capture the finger that kneaded the side of his mouth. Without another thought, he twisted his head just enough to suck in that finger. 

That also happened to be when Mick switched into Hard Mode so he felt that finger striking the back of this throat with each thrust. He groaned at the increased pressure beneath him. 

"Hrmm, thinkin' we's need a better table," Mick grunted. "Not much room 'neath 'im." 

Barry felt Len roaming a hand beneath him. He tried to shift as much as possible for easier access but it certainly wasn't easy. His whole body twitched when Len found his dripping tip, his hips jutted upward taking full advantage of the single inch his restraints allowed him, and he gasped when that movement caused Mick to slam right into his prostate. Barry shuddered and splattered all over the table, the thumb and finger dropping from his mouth. 

"Fuck, guys," he panted as his body fell down again, now covered in his own liquids. Within moments, Mick grunted and unleashed his own seed. 

He felt Len's hand at his lips and instinctively began licking it clean. 

"I'm sure Hartley can come up with a better table for our activities," Leonard responded to Mick's comment. "Once renovations are complete, we'll have more space." 

"Good," Mick grunted as he pulled out, then shoved a plug in his ass. Barry wiggled to get the feel of the new plug; it pulsated slightly from within him. He groaned again as he finished cleaning Len's hand. 

Leonard stood up and trailed fingers down his spine again, and lightly dug his nails into the soft flesh of a cheek, squeezing. Barry loved the feel of squeezing with nails sunk in. Rough and tender at the same time. 

Just like Mick who had just prodded his mouth open and jammed his soaked dick down this throat. "Clean," the pyro spoke softly as he thrusted. Barry dutifully complied. 

After a few moments, and swallowing down Mick's second load, the pyro pulled out and cupped the side of his face gently. 

"Goin' ahead with it?" Mick asked as Barry sucked in two of the calloused fingers. 

Leonard unlatched the restraints before answering. "Yes. Been a few weeks. The new one was left on my dresser before they left, along with a manuscript worth of instructions." 

Mick laughed, causing the fingers to wiggle which Barry liked. He also heard Len snort in amusement. They all knew how very detailed Hartley could get in his instructions. That was one of the things Barry loved about his friend, Hart's mind and how very safety conscious he is. 

"Straddle," came Mick's order. Wiggling to adjust himself, Barry raised himself up off the table with his legs on either side. Mick pulled him forward a bit so he was more centred. 

"Don't move," Mick growled and stood up. 

Dutifully, Barry complied with that order, somewhat. He rotated his neck and shoulder muscles, loosening them up, but he didn't move out of his position in the centre of the table. 

"Here," Mick came back a moment later, holding out a water bottle. Barry grinned and downed half the bottle, swallowed the energy bar Mick thrusted in his mouth, then drained the rest of the bottle. 

That was another thing about being down here; Barry really appreciated how well these particular Rogues looked out for him. He really did not want to be anyplace else. 

\----------------------------------------------

Leonard admired how well Barry behaved for them, following their instructions, and allowing himself to be his true self in front them. He nodded appreciatively as Barry finished draining the water bottle. 

This is what made him and Mick so different from all the other groups scattered throughout Central City. They always put Barry's well-being and safety first. Leonard knew that Mick felt just as strongly about all this, and he also knew that Hartley felt the same way. The truth of the kid's feelings lay within all the tech he has created specifically with Barry's body and abilities in mind. Leonard also knew Kyle felt the same way based on the Hunter's convictions to protect Barry just as much as he does Hart. 

Yes, Leonard thought, they were mighty lucky and quite fortunate to be the ones to have laid the trap that captured The Flash all those weeks ago. Any other group would have destroyed their speedster long ago. Leonard would never allow that happen. 

To prove that silent vow once again, Leonard sat down behind Barry and wrapped his arms around the other's waist, speaking softly into that twitching ear. 

"You do realise you're stuck here?" He ended the question with a bite to the earlobe. 

Barry hissed and grinned. "Well, yeah, considering I'm sitting in a pile of my spunk, it's pretty sticky." 

That's another thing about being down here. No other group would allow such impertinent snarkiness. For that matter, neither will he. 

Reaching up, he pinched both nipples and chuckled at the gasp, feeling the other press back into his chest. That also moved the plug in just the right way that Barry unleashed more spunk onto the table. 

"Christ, Len!" Barry moaned and panted as his cock drained out. 

Reaching down, Leonard scooped up some of the warm fluids in his fingers and soothed both nipples with it. Barry shuddered at the contact, emitting a very pleasurable moan. Leaning down, Leonard grazed his teeth along the side of Barry's neck and nipped him, all the while inhaling his scent. He felt himself relaxing, greatly soothed by the speedster's scent. Everyone has some addiction of sorts; his just happens to be Barry's natural scent. 

Speaking of addictions, time to give the speedster one of his. 

"All good?" Leonard asked as he trailed his fingers down to Barry's wrist band, giving it a tug. For the next two minutes, he sat there patiently, feeling Barry's breathing, feeling their fingers intertwining, the fingers of his own free hand lazily playing with a nipple. He knew his partner was preparing himself for the next stage, and Leonard always gave him that time. 

Soon enough, he had his answer. "Yeah, all good." Barry grinned back at him and shifted slightly so the speedster could kiss him. Leonard let him take control for five seconds before he pushed back, thrusting his own tongue into that warm mouth. Barry panted heavily when Leonard pulled away and smirked. 

Standing up, he watched as Mick took his place behind Barry, scooting right on in with his cock pressed tightly against the lower back, dripping upwards. Mick then captured Barry's arms and held the speedster to his chest, then began nipping along the neck. 

Retrieving his new Frost Gun, Leonard ran his fingers delicately along the smooth material. It was definitely made out of different material than his Cold Gun, had a different power source, and the barrel itself was slender enough for easier throat insertion. Pressing one hidden button inserted in the grip, the muzzle popped out a smaller piece for easier ass insertion. Only two inches in length but that was more than enough for his intentions. Pressing the button again, the extra length retracted. 

The real difference in the new Frost Gun was in its name and what secrets it holds inside. His Cold Gun is meant for creating actual ice, encasing objects and people into solid blocks of ice. It's not always easy keeping his Cold Gun at a cool stream as both the pressure and timing had to be precise before it starts turning skin to ice. 

The Frost Gun doesn't go beyond frostiness when handled properly. The only way for real ice to form was for the setting to be at max and flowing at full pressure for thirty minutes. Definitely not something Leonard intended to do. 

Moving back in front of Barry, he grinned at how those hazel eyes grew wide and locked on to the Frost Gun. Tapping the muzzle on Barry's nose, making sure he had his partner's attention, Leonard pulled back and proceeded to turn the Frost Gun on. The power button itself was inserted into the base of the grip itself. 

Three pairs of eyes were glued to the Frost Gun as it hummed and lit up in a brilliant blue. Based on the sensations he himself was feeling, Leonard awed at knowing full well what all that new material was. Glancing at the wrist band, he noticed the waterdrop pattern reacting. Hartley really outdid himself with the new Frost Gun made from a combination of Lubrilon and Dwarf Star. 

Glancing at the settings, Leonard saw that there were ten different settings. There were also four different, special settings as well. One specific setting was for mouth insertion, another for ass insertion. He really didn't know what the other two settings were for as they were labeled Spray and Pulse. 

The regular settings adjusted the temperature. The actual intensity of the stream was determined with the trigger itself. Keeping the safety ON, Leonard pressed the trigger to the first click. There was another small button in the grip that he pressed to allow the trigger access to the next click. Another press on the button, the third and final click. Three different intensities, one for each click. No chance of accidentally going too intense. 

Putting the trigger back into its neutral position, Leonard turned toward Barry. 

"As you can clearly see," he began as he lowered the gun to point at Barry's dripping cock, "this is a new gun, a Frost Gun. You know who made it so I'm certain you have a good idea as to what it can do to you, what it's functions are." 

Leonard paused to take in the slight shuddering of skin, not out of fear, no, but in anticipation. He knew what all the different shudders meant. 

"Now, then, before we begin, I must ask you a very important question." Leonard didn't smile, grin or chuckle as he wanted to keep himself as serious as the current situation. Once he saw Barry's complete focus and his nod, he continued. "Would you like to be restrained for this?" 

Leonard preferred to give his speedster options rather than just forcing himself on him. Even though he grew up in a world of take, take, take, purely out of survival, he had learned over the years that the best results always came through pleasantry, options, and offering a little something of his own. And he had plenty to give his Flash that the other wanted. 

After a few moments of thoughtful thinking, Barry shook his head then grinned up at him. "No, Mick will be plenty as far as restraints go. Besides, his body heat will be a nice contrast to the new Frost Gun." 

Mick chuckled and readjusted his grip on the arms, and latched his ankles around the other's. "Good ta know I'm useful fer sumtin!" 

"You're always useful," Barry giggled as Mick nuzzled him. 

Leonard tapped the barrel of the gun on Barry's head to get his attention, which he promptly got. That's another thing he appreciated about the speedster; in his right mind, when feeling comfortable, Barry always paid attention, even when it seems like he's not. Leonard knew how much information Barry can take in during a single second and can adapt to any situation based on that information. 

Turning the Frost Gun around, he watched as those hazel eyes roamed over it, taking in the settings. 

"As you can see, safety is ON so no streams starting out, but you will feel the chill. There are ten settings to the temperature. It is currently set to 1. Any questions?" 

Barry tilted his head in thought for a moment then asked the very question Leonard expected, "You sure the setting isn't too low?" 

Leonard finally released a grin as he jammed the muzzle against a nipple, earning a very nice gasp in the process as Barry pressed back into Mick's chest. He held it there for three seconds, giving the muzzle a twist before pulling away. 

"Christ, that was the LOWEST setting?!" Barry panted out. 

Leonard hummed as he dragged the barrel (not the muzzle) down Barry's arm, and tapped at the wrist band. The waterdrop shuddered in tune with Barry at the chill. He wondered if that was all the waterdrop design did, react to the matching Dwarf Star contained within the Frost Gun. 

Pulling back, allowing Barry a few precious moments to soak in Mick's warmth, Leonard adjusted the setting to 3. 

"Ready?" Leonard asked, received a nod and those focused eyes on his. "3 this time." 

Targeting the left nipple this time, Leonard pressed the muzzle in and held for another three seconds. Barry was better prepared, knew what to expect, but Leonard still heard that sharp intake of breath, saw the eyes bulge, the body tensed and pressed harder back into Mick. Another twist and he pulled away, listening to the staggered breathing. 

"Christ, damn," Barry vocalised his thoughts before Leonard could even ask. "Good, too good, cold, chilly, damn ... " a hiss as Barry half-lidded his eyes and once he noticed that particular shudder, Leonard looked down and saw a steady stream flowing onto his table. They really needed to get a new table. 

Just like the right, Leonard dragged the barrel down Barry's left arm, letting the speedster get used to the setting. He trailed the muzzle through the fingers, allowing his partner to feel it. 

"Damn," Barry repeated and shook his fingers to warm them when the muzzle pulled away. "It's difficult to explain but the chill is different from the Cold Gun. Doesn't seem as harsh but it feels more ... more ... light? Speckly? Bubbly?" 

"Frosty?" Mick supplied the word and Barry beamed. 

"YES! Less cold but more frosty which makes it feel more intense, more focused. With the Cold Gun, the chill had that icy feeling to it, but with the Frost Gun, it's more ice crystals. Feels nicer but damn intense." 

Leonard couldn't help but feel amused over Barry's ramblings as the other tried to work out how the two guns differentiate from one another. So many similarities, and despite the confusing rambling, Leonard understood that Barry truly felt the difference between the two guns. The Cold Gun was meant for battling adversaries, and has killed many. The Frost Gun was meant specifically for the speedster alone, and no other, especially in this type of situation. 

"Good, the idea is to chill you, not ice you over completely. 5?" 

Leonard adjusted the setting and waited patiently for Barry to prepare himself. Within a few moments, he had Barry's verbal confirmation, "Go ahead." 

Lightly tapping a knee with the barrel, Leonard watched as the leg flinched. If Mick hadn't been holding onto the ankle, Barry would have kicked out involuntarily and Leonard could be nursing quite the bruise right where he didn't want one. 

Hovering the muzzle just in front of Barry's chin, he lowered it, not yet pressing. He lightly grazed a trail down between the nipples and landed at the abdomen, where he pressed and held for three seconds. Barry gurgled and convulsed, Mick struggled to hold him. He pulled away without that twist he did on the nipples. 

Leonard placed his left hand on Barry's abdomen. "Barry?" 

"K, k, okay, m'fine, good, k, k?" Barry stammered and fought to control his body. 

"Easy, Barry, take your time. Be natural." Leonard told him soothingly as he kneaded the chilled area. 

"Natch ... " Barry fell prey to an onslaught of giggles. That nearly concerned Leonard as the giggling bordered insanity, but he saw those welcoming sparks appear in his speedster's eyes, turning hazel to flickers of yellow and orange. He felt himself relax. 

A few minutes passed and Barry calmed down. Leonard nudged the abdomen. "You okay?" 

Barry raised his hand and felt his abdomen, taking the time to check in on himself. "Yeah, all good. Feels like a refreshing cleanser, where everything looks sparkly afterward, kind of like how fresh new snow looks in the sunlight." 

Raising his wrist, Barry watched in amazement at how the waterdrop design flickered in the colours of the Speed Force. Leonard awed at how the colour had changed from blue. 

"How do you feel?" Leonard asked. 

Barry grinned as he fingered the band, watching at how the colours reacted to his roaming finger. "Good, really good. This new wrist band is pretty." 

Leonard chuckled. "Sure is. Think I'm going to have to give Hart a bonus just for creating that one." 

"Wait ... you pay your Rogues?!" Barry straightened up. "How come I never heard about this? Okay, sure, I know Rogues get their share of the heists but seriously, when was the last time you pulled a heist? Gods, how do you even pay yourself if you're not pulling heists? How ... " 

Leonard leaned down and kissed his Flash, for the sole purpose of shutting him up. "Bonuses come in many forms, doesn't need to be financial. Don't you worry about our finances, Barry, we get along just fine." 

He lightly pressed the barrel to Barry's cock as he pulled out of the kiss, and was rewarded with a lot more spunk on his table. Straightening up, he delighted in seeing that pure-bliss mode on his Barry's face, with the head tilted back onto Mick's shoulder, tongue hanging out, that silly grin that demanded fingers. Warming his fingers in the fresh liquids, Leonard trailed them over those lips. As Barry came back to his senses, the pressure on his fingers increased as they were sucked into that mouth. 

"Mmm, again," Barry grinned, very much wanting more of the Frost Gun. 

Leonard pondered what to do next. It seemed like 5 was a pretty intense setting but he did want to know if Barry could take a 7 starting out. He also wanted to test the new Throat and Ass settings. Those had their own unique settings with very specific temperatures. He wasn't sure what those temperatures were but he had a feeling it was under 5 considering their intended locations. 

Reaching down, he fingered a nipple, lightly pinching, receiving a wince and a grin. He repeated the action to the other nipple. 

"Might be too high but I want to try a 7," Leonard informed his speedster. 

He watched, patiently, for five minutes, as Barry's skin rippled back into a normal state, his muscles unclenching, his cock settled as well as any near-hard cock could get. Leonard most watched Barry's sparking eyes as the flickers danced then settled into singular colours, resting on yellow. The breathing also settled normally. 

"All set, let's try the 7," Barry relaxed into Mick's embrace. Leonard let him take a few more breaths in preparation as he increased the setting to 7. 

"Right side nipple," Leonard informed him then held the muzzle an inch away from the hard nipple. "Ready?" 

"Yeah," Barry braced himself. 

Keeping his eyes on those yellow ones, Leonard pressed forward onto the nipple. He intended to hold for the usual three seconds but once the first second passed, the eyes turned red and Barry disappeared. 

Stumbling forward at the sudden loss of contact, Leonard blinked as he heard Mick's grunt from the floor where he had landed on his back. 

"Mick!" 

He dropped the Frost Gun and shoved the table out of the way so as to check on his pyro. 

"Fine," his fiery friend grunted out, "Check on 'im." 

Snapping his head up, Leonard frantically looked around. He quickly spotted their speedster crumpled up against the wall next to Mick's bedroom, breathing heavily. He hurried over. 

"Barry? Barry!" 

Checking him over, Leonard didn't see any visible injuries. Grasping the wrist, he removed the band and let his fingers trail over the wrist and hand. 

"Ngh," Barry gurgled out and Leonard felt relieved when he saw the sparks flow through his friend's body, fingers clasping his own. 

"It's okay, Barry, you're okay, we're okay." He chanted the words that he overheard Hartley saying many times, knowing that Barry will understand. 

He expected understanding, but what Leonard got was a drooling grin instead. 

"Barry?" 

"Need to work up to 7. For now, stay with 5." Barry's eyes opened and they sparked a brilliant green before settling back down into his normal hazel. 

Leonard embraced him, and held on tightly. "Yeah, definitely. Gods, Barry, you scared me." 

"Mmm," Barry wrapped his own arms around him. "There, just out of reach, but ready when needed." 

It took Leonard a few moments to realise that Barry was referring to the wrist band, how it kept his powers just out of reach but still on standby. He was damn pleased that Hartley could create such an exquisite band. 

He heard Mick approach and rest a hand on his shoulder. 

It was Barry that responded. "We're good, all okay here. You?" 

Mick grinned and tousled the speedster's hair. "Good, I'm fine. Ya jest shocked me a bit, tingly but nice." 

"Phew," Barry heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I don't ever want to hurt you, even accidently." 

Mick thumped him lightly on the head. "Don't you go talkin' like dat now, hear? Accidents happen but there ain't no way ya could possibly hurt me. Much sterner than ya think. 'Sides, you 'n' Hart can do patch-up jobs if needed, right?" 

Barry blinked and Leonard felt all the muscles relax in an instant. "Right," came the cheerful reply. 

Figuring on ending the session with the Frost Gun, Leonard stood up. He and Mick hauled Barry up on unsteady legs and led him to the sofa where he sprawled out on. 

Picking up the Frost Gun off the floor, Leonard dialed down the setting to 1, made sure the safety was still ON then powered the gun off. He didn't miss a single second of those hazel eyes watching him. 

"Nice gun," Barry grinned. 

"All the better to torment you with," Leonard bantered back. 

Barry stretched lazily in an enticing way. "Mmm, looking forward to next time." 

Grateful that his speedster wasn't annoyed by the short session, Leonard gazed down longingly at that naked body. "Next time I might ring you, less mess on my table." 

Barry glanced at the table in question and Leonard saw various emotions and thoughts flicker through those pretty eyes. He had no idea what thought flashed through his head as Barry had turned way redder than his suit, his cock spilling out over the sofa. 

"You've been ringed before?" Leonard hazarded a guess, gaining an idea of what may have happened, when, and with whom. 

Barry nodded. "Only twice since College but before the Particle Accelerator." 

Setting the Frost Gun on the kitchen table, Leonard groaned. "Of course, you did. Care to tell me about it?" 

Barry grinned but it was Mick who responded. "Later. Gonna cook first, eat, then talk." Mick shoved him away from the table and back toward the sofa. Leonard went obligingly, knowing full well that the pyro didn't like interruptions while making sure his partners were well fed. 

Collapsing onto the sofa, unmindful of the limbs latching onto him, Leonard settled in until food was ready. Perhaps he'll take a nap once the naked form beneath him stopped wiggling. 

\----------------------------------------------

Satisfied, having cleared up all that Mick put before him, Barry leaned back as he heard the emptied plates moving toward the sink. Unperturbed by the fact he was sitting on a stool, he half-lidded his eyes and let out a long breath, feeling his weight press against another. 

"Good?" 

Barry raised his eyes up to those pretty blue ones as Len wrapped his arms around his waist, holding him to his chest. He grinned. 

"Very, very gooood." He dragged out that last word as Len had dipped his fingers lower to lightly graze his still half-hard erection. 

He heard Mick chuckle, feeling the heated breath so close. Barry didn't remember closing his eyes as Len held him but soon as he opened them, Mick grinned and covered the final inch of space, thrusting his tongue inside, covering his lips completely. Barry couldn't make a sound but he felt the vibration of his moan, tingling down to his rapidly hardening cock. 

Just as he felt some pre-cum release, Mick pulled back up. "Fuckin' hot, Red," the pyro keened lowly, causing Barry's entire body to shudder. 

He felt fingers at his lips and swallowed them in. Two fingers, coated with his pre-cum. He sucked on Len's fingers and he managed to stick his tongue out to graze at one of the others, prompting a third finger to enter. 

"Christ, kid. Too fuckin' hot." Mick growled out. 

After a few moments, Len struggled to pull his fingers out. Barry didn't want them gone so had held on as tight as he could without biting. He groaned as the tips finally left him, making a point to let his frustration be heard through his tone. He also smirked up at Len, licking his lips. 

"Cheeky bastard," Mick chuckled as he grazed his knuckles along a nipple. 

Barry felt good. Very good. Satisfied. Wonderful. He felt secure and very warm while pressed between his two Rogues. Okay, the stool was making his butt go numb but his back was tightly pressed against Len's chest, feeling the fabric of shirt on his naked skin. Mick was hovering above him roaming his big hands over his chest, ribs, stomach, back up to his very pointed nipples. Barry hissed, feeling his erection harden fully, straining for release. Mick was damn fine with how he abused his nipples. Barry loved it. 

"You were saying about having a ring on you before? The kind that prevented you from ejaculating?" 

Leave it to Leonard to get right to business. 

"Yeah," Barry confirmed, "Although, was more than just a ring. Nothing like what Dillon put on me. The ones I had previously were of a double-band nature with a rod running along the underside, attached to both rings." 

"Mmm, continue," Leonard hummed in his ear and stroked his nipples. 

Barry sighed in bliss and settled in for the long overdue conversation as to how he and Hartley met. 

"As you can guess, the genius asshole behind the double-band was Hartley. We met at college, second year. I was studying Forensics, Hart was doing Science Engineering. Shared a few electives. We ... hung out a lot. Got closer in third year and purposely matched up electives, shared two regular courses as well. Final year we managed to get a dorm room together and it didn't matter that we only had one class to share that year." 

"Daaaaamn, kid beat us to our prey. Who knew?" Mick laughed. "Tell us about dem bands." 

College wasn't something Barry had thought about in years but now he can't help but blush over the memories, the more pleasant ones at least. College hadn't always been easy especially with the other students. Most have been okay and kept to themselves but there were always those few who got a kick out of tormenting others. 

Pushing those thoughts away, Barry focused on that one particular week. They hadn't been able to do much during exams, then graduation happened followed by employment in their chosen fields. Was a few months before they met up again. Still, that was a week they had both needed. 

"Week before final exams, final year. Stressful time of year. All the professors were heaping tons of work on us. Most students went about their studies, others were looking for outlets." Barry paused wondering if he should reveal something. Deciding it would help them to understand more about the band, he continued. 

"I should mention that back in second year, how we met was him in the corner of the library with three other guys standing over him. They ... well, it wasn't pretty. Was nearly a month before the damage receded enough for him to walk around publicly again. Nasty bruises. I ... pretty much watched out for him ever since. I got to be quite good with sewing and patching up clothing back then as he really couldn't afford to buy too much clothing. His dad disowned him just before he left for college." Barry sighed at the rougher times. 

"Anyway, third year we tried to get as many classes together as possible. It was near end of that year when his dorm mate set up a Pre-Exam Stress Reliever weekend event." He heard Len inhale sharply, and Mick's curse. "Fifty bucks enabled one to have a single round on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hundred bucks nets you two rounds on each day. Five hundred got you a two-hour session each night in any way. I was back home here in Central that weekend and didn't know a thing about it until I got back Tuesday morning and a lot of students were talking about it. Apparently, a lot of videos had been uploaded and there were Live Streams." Another pause as he adjusted himself to sit up and turn to face them, back against the kitchen island. 

"Eventually they were taken down but who knows how many downloaded the videos. I skipped classes that day and found Hart at one of our meeting places down near the river amongst the trees. We had spent many hours there previously, always talking and just being there with each other. I found him there, very battered and broken. Nothing I could ever say would have helped so I just held him. Later that day I found out that my own dorm mate decided it was a great idea to get his girlfriend pregnant and they moved in together off-campus. Naturally, I moved Hart into my room. We got it official with the office for our final year. He missed a lot of classes during the final month but since we had a lot of the same classes together, I was able to keep him up-to-date with my own notes. I knew his other professors and got his course load from them. Bugger still aced all his exams despite not attending classes. Always been jealous of his smarts." Barry lightly laughed at that, desperately needing to get off that dreadful topic. 

"During final year was when the real damage emerged. Physically he healed up just fine, scars no longer visible. Emotionally though," Barry sighed, unable to continue with that part. 

"Anyway, I will mention what you already figured that we were pretty active since second year. Third year was the most active as we were no longer in the building-up phase. Final year was when things ... changed. Still good, very good, but it was ... " Barry wasn't quite sure how to explain it. Leonard supplied the words. 

"Rougher, more experimental. The trauma he underwent had become his fuel. Started doing to you what was done to him. You became his outlet." 

Looking back, Barry had to admit that was exactly what happened. "Yeah, but I stayed with him. He needed that outlet and despite ... some of the things he experimented with, I was more than willing to help him through that. Christmas break came around and I took him home with me. He ... hadn't celebrated any of the holidays since entering college. Studied so much to forget _things_. During second year I provided myself as his outlet, encouraging him to relax and unwind. Third year he actually made us a schedule for meeting times and places to make sure we both unleash our stresses. Final year, starting out, it was more venting out, never a stress reliever, never with our original plan in mind. Christmas came and it was like the negative dam of energies broke. Something changed in him, and for the better. To this day, I still don't understand it." 

Barry rubbed a hand over his eyes, in a futile attempt to disperse the images. "All during second semester, just after the holidays, he was skittish and scared to be around me due to what he had done. Start of the final semester, I finally had him calmed down enough to allow for more than just casual cuddling. I encouraged him to start experimenting again but with the very specific rule to always be conscious of his own actions and mine. He took that to heart, always making sure I'm okay and always communicating. Just like how it was in the beginning." Barry grinned up at them. "Much like you two have always done with me, even before all this ... " he trailed off, memories of all their Flash - Rogue encounters flashing through his mind again. 

"Communication and details were not things I learned from my dad," Leonard spoke up. "He was more the bull that thrashed around the china store not caring about who or what got damaged so long as he got what he wanted." 

"Yeh, Lewis was a real dick and I din't like him any of those times I teamed up with dem. Lenny always wanted to try a different way. We's knew Hart nearly all our lives, good kid, always askin' questions. Always knew he would analyse every single detail even before entering the bathroom. Caught him doin' so more than once. We likes his smarts and followed his example. Well, Lenny did, m'brain hurt too much with too much detail." 

Len continued, "When he came back to Central after college, he was quite adamant about details and communication. We knew Hartley changed but he had refused to tell us anything. Got more insistent, determined, focused ... " 

"Kid became a downright moody bitch but with good intentions," Mick interrupted. "Gotten to the point where he was making schedules for meals and grocery lists with the exact brand, grammage and listed ingredients on every single box. Every time a heist was in the works, he would grill us on every single detail, helping Lenny find the weak points. Even made us comms to keep us talkin'." 

"Hart may be moody but he always has our backs and he knows we have his." Leonard spoke only the truth, one that Barry agrees with whole-heartedly. 

Barry nodded and continued, "We did have communication, a lot of it since the beginning. Starting final year, though, there was very little of it. Second semester he realised what had happened and we worked through it. Final semester was when he changed for the better, having finally accepted what happened and being able to move on. We were ... umm ... good. Very good." His cock twitched again at one of those good memories. 

Mick noticed and hummed, lightly running a finger along where the top-most band was likely located. That brought the right memory to the front. 

"Oh! Right, the band," Mick chuckled and Len smiled, tilting his head in encouragement for Barry to continue. 

"Okay, so we were studying all that weekend as we wanted to take it easy during the final week before exams. We didn't want to be over-stressed and enter panic-mode like pretty much the rest of the students. Hart was gonna ace the exams regardless and I was feeling pretty good too." Barry inhaled softly as Mick continued to trail a finger along his erection. Cursed thing never seemed to fully deflate. 

"So, that Sunday nite, Hart was working on one of his inventions, one I hadn't seen before. Hastily hid it once he knew I was watching. Said I had to wait for the morning to find out what it was. Mmm," Barry felt a second finger trailing along. 

"Monday morning came, half-hour before first class, and he got me fully hard. He attached a leather band, not metal, to the base and tightened it. It was much like a belt with the holes but smaller. It was also easy to get out of if needed. The leather strip running along the underside was already attached to the base band. The second band was then attached, buckled tightly into place and the strip attached. The whole time he was tugging on it and making sure I was okay, that it wasn't too tight. The whole time I was also leaking, wondering how the hell I was going to keep my pants dry. To make matters worse, he pressed on a hidden button that gave off a barely noticeable vibration. Under normal circumstances, the vibration would have been missable but on a fully hard and sensitive cock? May as well have been at it's worst setting." Barry groaned at either the memory or how Mick was sliding his thumb over his slit. 

"Bastard even cut my boxers off and settled my pants back into place, then shoved me out the door as I only had five minutes to get to class which was at 8:00. Trying to hold back pre-cum all day is fucking torture." 

Mick laughed as he released the fully hard cock preventing Barry from going over the edge. "Woulda paid to see dat, you squirming in yer seat all day." 

Barry glowered at the pyro. "Oh, trust me, there are pictures, and videos." 

"Oh?" Leonard this time, not hiding his interest at all. 

"Yeah. Hartley decided to document the entire week. All part of the experiment, he said, for science purposes. All so he can make improvements. If you ask me, he was enjoying it far more than I was. At first, anyway." He spoke that admission quietly. "He had hidden cameras attached on my clothing, capturing audio perfectly. He knew my classes and somehow managed to insert cameras at my usual seats. There are lots of good close-up facial expressions and how my cock twitched throughout the day." 

Barry took a moment to suckle Mick's fingers, swallowing his pre-cum. 

"That first day was torture. I was looking forward to 5:00 when my final class ended but unfortunately it was Chemistry and we were in the lab. I ... may have accidently stumbled during an agonising twitch and kinda blew up the lab." 

"Kinda?" Mick's voice sounded awed. 

"Kinda, as in, boom. Lab was a complete write-off." Barry felt mortified. Chemistry was his favourite subject. 

"Daaaaamn. Good job, Red!" Mick laughed, sounding very pleased. Barry shook his head, laughing a bit as well. 

"Yeah, well, class was only half-way done so we had to migrate over to a different lab up on the top floor as it was the only other one free. Anyway, rather than ending at 5:00, it wasn't until 6:30 by the time we got out of there. I ran so quickly down all five flights of stairs, and hurried back to the dorms, not caring at all about the growing wet patch. All I had on my mind was getting the blasted thing off." 

"Somehow I don't think dat happened," Mick seemed to be enjoying this a little too much. 

"Of course it didn't! Not right away. I had to endure a conversation that I had no idea what was being discussed, followed by dinner, followed by some light studying, followed by a shower and pre-bedtime routine. It was ten by the time the bastard released the top band and started sucking me off. About fifteen minutes later he released the lower band and buried me fully in his mouth and I unleashed a torrent straight down his throat. That was the hardest I ever came and Hart took it all easily." Barry took a moment to collect his thoughts as the memory shifted to the next part. 

"I was lying on the bed still naked while Hartley still had his pants on. All I could remember was being annoyed at the unfairness of that then realised I was too damn tired to care. I was about to drift off when I felt hot liquid pouring on me. Bugger was unleashing his load on my chest. He even managed to pause himself as he stepped closer to my head. Oh, you should know that dorm beds are these really small singles that were shoved up against the wall so he was standing beside my bed as he was releasing himself. I caught majority of the rest in my mouth, rest splattering on my face as he moved. Jammed himself down my throat for clean-up." 

"You says pictures, right?" Mick inquired and Barry noticed how hard Mick had become and was stroking himself through his pants. Len still looked cool and collected, as always. 

"Yeah, Hartley most likely still has them. You'll need to ask him." 

"Hrmmm," Mick grunted as he shifted his hand to the inside of his pants. 

"Don't remember anything after that as I must have passed out soon as Hart pulled out. When I awoke Tuesday morning, I found that my face and chest were plastered with the dry cum, my wrists were above me tied to the headboard and my ankles were similarly restrained. Half hour before class, Hart came back into the room and was cleaning me up, ignored my chest completely. Bastard sucked me hard again, released my restraints and tossed a pair of pants at me. Had to help me get down the hall to the washrooms so I could empty my bladder." 

"Bet dat hurt," Mick pulled his hand out before he could unleash his own load. Barry suckled on his fingers for a few moments, remembering how annoying it was to calm himself down enough so he could empty his bladder. 

"Back to the dorm room where he dressed ya?" 

"Yeah. Started by making me hard again and leaking. Brought out a new band that was metal, more like a cock ring as it was thicker and shinier. Was already adjusted to fit properly so he clamped it on. No idea how it locked into place, some sort of press and twist on the right spot, only Hart knew how to attach and release it. He then clicked the metal rod into place, and clamped on the second band. No vibration this time but the metal pressed much harder along the underside, more than enough to keep me hard. That, plus the scorching heat as it was way warmer out that day than Monday. The band was fricken metal!" 

Mick hissed. "Not even I is stupid enough to brand m'own skin like that." 

Barry shook his head. "That's the thing, it didn't leave a mark at all but it certainly heated up enough to make me quite uncomfortable. The air conditioning helped as well. I only had morning classes on Tuesday so was looking forward to hopefully an early release day. When I got back, I had to wait as Hart still had afternoon classes until 5:00. By 7:00, I went out looking for him and found him in the library, studying! Said I was too distracting." Barry huffed, Mick laughed, Len hummed appreciatively. 

"I had to sit there for another two hours waiting for him to be ready to leave. Soon as 9:00 hit, I started to head for the door when he pulled me back down. Right there in the library, he pulled down my pants and unclipped the first band, sucking me dry. I could hear the remaining students leaving as he released the other band, then I released down his throat again. He buttoned me back up while he left some of my own cum in my mouth and casually left the library as if he hadn't just sucked someone off." 

He couldn't help it, Barry glowered at Leonard who lightly yawned and ignored him. How Len always managed to stay cool in any given situation was beyond Barry's comprehension. Quite the contrast to Mick who was always heated and ready to charge in and makes it very well known when he's horny as hell. 

"Naturally," Barry continued, "Hartley had me shoved back onto my bed soon as we got back. No shower or night routine this time aside from stripping down. Added his load to the dried cum on my chest from the previous night, finishing off on my face and down my throat. The morning was much the same as I was bound to the bed. No emptying of bladder Wednesday before he attached a new version which was a combination of the first two. Back to leather but no buckles, was hard leather just like the metal, same size and shape. Rod was a vibrator that ran the entire length, the bands were not that nasty. Vibration was a notch up from Monday. Plus, it was a long day for classes. Final one was at 7:00 which Hartley was part of. A lot of the classes had these long bench-like seats with a table big enough for two people to use. Anyway, all during that class, Hartley was kneading my thigh and tugging on my pants. Even playing with my crotch, feeling my entire length and squeezing over the two bands. I was definitely leaking all during that class. That was the final lecture for that particular class and it lasted nearly three hours as students kept asking questions regarding the final exam and going over a lot of the material from throughout the semester and students just kept asking goddamn questions." 

Barry groaned at the memory, feeling his cock twitch again. He ignored Mick's laughter. 

"Was 11:00 by the time I got that cursed device off. Thursday was much the same, a slightly altered device, vibration increased by another notch. Still no underwear, still all that dry cum on my chest, I hadn't showered since Sunday night but Hartley did sponge me clean each morning, always ignoring my chest. Honestly, I think he has a thing for cum-drenched skin." 

"More like a cum-drenched Barry, if ya ask me." Barry completely ignored Mick's comment but his cock heard him, causing Barry to curse. 

"Early night as I was released at 7:00 but was bound to the bed soon as I got home. Fully bound while he released my cock, sucked me dry, and released his own load on me again. I'm not used to sleeping that early but I remained bound, drifting in and out of sleep while Hartley moved around and did some studying. He brought me back to hard again before he went to bed, sucked me dry and unleashed another load. That was it until Friday." Barry shuddered at the incoming memory. 

"Friday was the worst I bet." Mick spoke softly this time, sensing discomfort. 

"Very much the worst. Highest vibration and this time the bands would only release when I'm deflated." Barry groaned at that memory, not looking forward to having it happen again. Knowing Hartley, he probably will whip up a new speedster version with that specific requirement for release. 

"Geeeezes," Mick hissed. 

"Final day of regular classes and I don't remember a single thing. The only way I was going to get deflated was for the battery to run out or that bastard turned it off. I think he purposely made it without a damn control switch. Was near 4:00 in the morning when the rod sputtered and died. I passed out soon as it did. Was sometime Saturday afternoon when I regained consciousness. Much to my relief, my hands were not bound but my ankles still were. Device was still attached but no longer tight as I had deflated a bit. I was drenched again through the night but didn't seem like I got my own release. Was nearly 6:00 when Hartley entered and slipped off the top band. As always, he sucked out a lot of pre-cum. Was about another hour before I deflated enough to allow for the other band to slide up and off. That resulted in the hardest orgasm I ever had. There was so much that Hartley couldn't handle it all. He ended up choking as he pulled off and swallowed. He then engulfed me again while I was still spurting. Twice more he had to pull back up. Didn't seem to mind though as he beamed brighter than I had ever seen him before. Seeing him so happy caused a second orgasm which he swallowed, saving the final mouthful for when he dumped it in my mouth. I have no idea what he said as I pretty much passed out again. When I came to again, Hartley was sitting at his computer doing a lot of typing and scanning through his collection of videos and making screenshots. My ankles were free so I was able to get up and wrap my cum-soaked arms around him, plastering my sticky skin to his back. Even let him suck on my fingers as he typed. We stayed like that for a couple hours, letting him feel through my body that he was okay and I loved having him around. That's another thing he never had growing up, the comfort." 

By this time, Len had begun stroking his arms, sending over his own comforts. "College was a topic that Hart never spoke to us about," Len told him. "We sensed it held painful memories for him, but I'm grateful you found him, looked out for him." 

"Me too," Barry spoke softly as he captured one of Len's hands, kneading his own fingers into the back of it. "I can't imagine my life if he hadn't entered it, if I hadn't interrupted them in the library that day. He has helped me out in so many ways that I feel like I could never do enough to repay him." 

"Hush," Len told him. "You've done plenty for him already, fixed him up, healed him, made him feel like life is worth living again. The only thing left for you to do is to continue believing in him, trusting him, caring for him, loving him, keeping him in your life. When you're in Hart's life, he feels happy, he feels at his best, his strongest, and that in turn makes us strong and enjoying life. Can you do that? For all of us?" 

Once again, Barry felt himself complete, and not just with Hartley this time, but also with Leonard and Mick as the two Rogues held him close, very protective, very warm. 

"Yeah," he whispered. "I can do that, for all of you." 

He couldn't wait to have his Hart, their Hart, back again. This was going to be a dreadfully long week. 

\----------------------------------------------

He fumed. How dare a Hunter decline a contract! It clearly wasn't about the money as the Hunter looked more and more disinterested as he outlined the plan. Said it "conflicted with his interests." 

He snorted, wondering what possible "interests" a Hunter could have, especially one from a monster-infested city like Gotham. 

Still, a contact informed him that the pest has left Central City for awhile so that gave him plenty of time to interact with his target without interruption. He began making plans for when his target came back to work, hopefully within the next couple days. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter has come and gone, hopefully with a better understanding of our characters and their actions. Only one new character introduced but believe me, there's more of our Atom in an upcoming chapter! See you again in two weeks! Feel free to leave comments, queries, concerns. I will do my best to address each one. Thank you!
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Ray Palmer  
> Owner and CEO of PalmerTech in Star City. Cheerful, vibrant, he enjoys tinkering with various gadgets and technology, aiming to make the world a better place with his tech. His favourite material is Dwarf Star which he uses in his Atom Suit, for both shielding and weaponry devices.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Hartley and Kyle are in Gotham, Leonard and Mick are busy with whatever they are doing, Barry has to find other ways of keeping himself busy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chapter 8, when Hartley, Leonard and Mick were viewing the footage from the Rogue Base, what they could see anyway from the Common Room area, I had this particular paragraph:
> 
> "I can't watch this anymore," feeling nauseated as Barry was dumped back out in the common room, Hartley turned away and headed to his bedroom. It's one thing knowing what happened; it's an entirely different thing actually seeing those things happen.
> 
> I did have a comment as to why I inserted that last phrase at this time, rather than earlier. Simple reason: the situation had never come up previously to warrant the phrase.
> 
> This is Hartley who is having that thought. He's used to being the victim of abuse and rape, and he's seen it happen to other people over the years. However, this is the first time he's actually seen it happen (even if only on video) to a close friend, a loved one, and he doesn't like it at all. Sure, he's seen Barry in his Flash battles and getting beat up and everything, but that's pretty much part of the job, nothing unusual. That's nothing compared to getting brutally raped. A completely different mindset.
> 
> Which leads into my reasoning for the seemingly lack of reaction toward the Rogues' activities with Barry. Chapter 8 ended up longer than I intended so I wasn't able to get in all that I wanted. I did want to have negative reactions but I saved those for Chapter 9 instead along with character reasonings for their own reactions, as each is different. As expected as anger was, making sure Barry was safe was their top priority, and always will be. And yes, Mick seemed the calmest, a little too calm actually, but that's only because someone had to be calm. Trust me, he doesn't like it anymore than the rest of them do.
> 
> As for Barry, and I really should have explained it a bit more, but he viewed his own situation from an observer's viewpoint because he really didn't want to worry his friends. The less he thought about it, the more he hoped to put it behind him, move on from it as quickly as possible. This was a situation he had never been in before, it scared him, but he refused to acknowledge any potential damage. Staying cheerful eases the minds of those around him. Little did he know that nightmares would occur, his body would react in disturbing ways (physically lash out at Hartley without realising it), fear would take over his mind.
> 
> I know I was weak with the reactions and the sections in Chapter 9 between Barry and Hartley could be improved upon, but again, this story is a learning experience for me as I gain practice in writing out scenes and explanations. I don't consider myself an expert in anything, but I do have experience in some similar situations with knowledge of many others.
> 
> Barry's conscious reactions, and the unexpected unconscious reactions, however, are based on personal experience. Not in the rape sense, mind you, but I've gone through a situation (cancer) where I had to coast along and pretend everything was okay. Some people I didn't want to worry, and others just didn't care to hear anything about it so I learned to shrug it off as something minor, nevermind the fact that I was close to being dead. I did have the trauma behind closed doors, the nightmares, the fears, everything, but that was all in private. Luckily, Barry here was able to talk things out a bit and with people who actually do understand and are willing to listen, provide the comfort he needs. Still, it's not an easy situation to talk about.
> 
> Enough babbling. If anyone has any other concerns or comments, feel free to post them.
> 
> Onwards to better things ahead! Enjoy this more light-hearted chapter. ^_^
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> None, aside from cuteness!

**\-- Trust Play --**   


Glancing at the clock, Barry groaned at seeing it was only 10:15 am. He had arrived at the CCPD at 10:12 but already it felt like he was there for three full days' worth of hours. 

Letting his head fall back against his chair, he stared blankly up at the ceiling. 

Lost in the emptiness of his mind, he hadn't heard him come in, nor his name being called. It was only when his spinning chair stopped that he took notice of the grinning face before him. 

"Barry! Didn't you hear me calling you? Snap out of it, man. You're too sweet to be looking so gloomy." 

He groaned. He really wasn't in the mood for cheerfulness right now. "Go away, Jimmy, not in the mood." 

"Of course you're not," Jimmy said soothingly, "Especially not with six boxes to go through. Want some help with those?" 

Barry stood up to halt an arm reaching for a box. "Jimmy, I got them, I'm fine. I'll get them done." 

"No, you're not," Jimmy spun and embraced him. Low as he was, Barry couldn't think to step away. "Your best friend is gone, likely forever, so it's only natural you're feeling this way." 

Barry blinked ... what? "Uh, Jimmy, he's only gone ... " 

"Hush, now," Jimmy held him tighter. "Gone but not forgotten but sooner you get over him, the better, hmm?" 

The hell?! Barry attempted to step away but Jimmy only held on and continued, "I have a couple things to do but how about after lunch I help you with your boxes? Afterward, you can crash at my place. I got just the right movies and drinks to help you feel better." 

"As lovely as that sounds, we already have plans tonight, and I highly doubt the Captain would appreciate you guys coming in to work tomorrow greatly hung-over?" 

Barry blinked at those all-too-familiar words. 

Jimmy groaned. "Seriously?!" He stepped away from Barry and turned on Calvin who had entered the Lab. "Listen punk ... " 

"JIMMY! GET DOWN HERE!" 

"Oh, give me a break, already," Jimmy muttered. "I'll see you later, Barry. As for you," Jimmy glowered at Calvin, "I'll deal with you another time." 

Barry flopped back down onto his chair as Jimmy left. 

"Honestly, only been gone for two days and that asshole is making the moves on you," Calvin sighed and flopped himself down in Hartley's chair. "Does he always misunderstand everything?" 

"Seems so," Barry grinned then sighed again. "What're you doing up here, Cal?" 

"Hmm?" Calvin glanced up from the computer. "Oh, I was bored and thought I'd come up here. When was the last message?" 

Hauling out his cell phone, Barry skimmed through the dozens of messages. "Last message was 10:14." He sighed again and tossed his cell on the desk. 

"Last night?" Calvin inquired while scanning through the surveillance cameras. 

"This morning." 

Calvin blinked and looked back over at him. "That was five minutes ago! Seriously, dude, stop worrying so much. Hart can take care of himself and he has Kyle with him. Right?" 

"Sure, but that's not why I'm depressed." 

"Uh, it's not?" 

Barry ran a hand over his eyes, pondering what to tell his newest friend. Reflecting back, things were great the day Hartley, Kyle and Ray Palmer left for Gotham. More than great especially when he got back to Len's place after catching baby mutant frogs. However, he hadn't seen much of Len and Mick since that night. In fact, he hadn't seen or heard from them at all yesterday. When he stopped in this morning, they were already gone for the day. 

Truth of the matter is, "I'm bored," he told his friend. "Len and Mick were busy all day yesterday, I hadn't even heard from them. They weren't even home this morning." 

"Ah, I get it," Calvin told him. "It's not bored you're feeling, it's loneliness. You're used to Hartley being around when the others are not. Right now, nobody is around and you really don't know what to do with yourself when you're not roaming the streets of Central City. As for Len and Mick, I'm sure they have a good reason for their silence and I'm quite certain that it has nothing to do with you. They seem the type to give a task, project, job their full attention. Distractions can lead to mistakes and in their line of work, mistakes can prove quite deadly." 

Barry blinked, hearing the truth in those words. "How can you be so wise at such a young age?" 

Calvin giggled. "How can you and Hart think so much alike? Seriously, though, he asked me that very same question, word for word, three days ago. Simple answer: I pay attention to my friends. Knowledge helps keep you guys safe." 

"The very words Len lives by," Barry awed. 

"He's a smart guy," Calvin grinned then stood up. "C'mon, let's get out of here for a bit. Grab some fresh air. You'll feel better." 

Barry looked at the clock and groaned. It was only 10:30. "Yeah, sure, anything to help move that damn clock. I think it's stuck." 

"You're just too fast for the clock," Calvin chuckled lightly. "Let's go." 

At the bottom of the stairs, Captain Singh hailed them and didn't look too happy. "You do realise it's only 10:30? Where the bloody hell you sneaking off to now?" 

Calvin was the one that responded while Barry froze at the Captain's tone. "Hey, Cap, got wind of a bug over at Jitters that needs checking into, and possibly down at Big Belly Burger. Might be a few down by the park near the ice cream stand. Might be nothing but figure we'd best check 'em out. Right, Barry?" 

"Uh ... " 

The Captain sighed, turned, and he could hear the muttered words, "Why do I even bother?" 

Calvin grinned. "That was easy. Let's get outta here." 

Barry blinked again, wondering what the hell just happened. Grinning himself, he dashed out of the precinct right behind the young tech. 

Sure, they're literally playing hooky from work but Barry was feeling a heck of a lot better. 

\----------------------------------------------

It was near 5:00 pm when they got back to the CCPD and Barry couldn't even remember what he was so gloomy about that morning. 

True to his word, Calvin had them visit Jitters, Big Belly Burger, and the ice cream stand at the park. They even watched ladybugs crawling around on the ground at the park, making bets as to which one dared cross the path first. Nobody won except for the crows that flew in and scattered the ladybugs, gaining themselves a quick meal. 

Entering his Lab, Barry grinned at seeing his fellow CSI. "Hey, Gagne, what're you doing up here?" 

"Finally showing up to work, eh, Allen?" Gagne grinned back as he finished turning one of the machines on. 

"Geeze, give me a break, old man," Barry groaned and headed over to his computer. 

Gagne laughed and turned on his 'old geezer' voice. "Dang whippersnappers these days, never any proper respect for their elders. Always leaving us to pick up after them. Lazy slobs." 

Barry laughed. He had always enjoyed Gagne's sense of humour. 

"Anyway," Gagne continued, speaking normally and dropping a stack of reports on the desk, "only ones left are the quickie ones you're so good at ... " 

Two seconds later, all the "quickie ones" were processed and Barry waited impatiently at the printer for the reports. 

" ... and I have the final three items in the machines so they should be finished when we come in tomorrow morning." 

"Have I ever told you what a real gem you are? I seriously could kiss you right now!" Barry retrieved his own batch of reports and added them with the others. 

Gagne laughed. "Sure, I'd definitely let you, all you want but then you'd hafta face the wrath of my wife and kids for stealing me away from them." 

"How are the twins?" Barry inquired happily. 

"Good, good. Just starting Grade 3 if you can believe that. Kayden is growing more fascinated with things that go Boom, and Kaelia is gaining quite the library of her own. Every night is full of explosions and tripping over books." 

Barry beamed. "Sounds great! You and Emma are fortunate to have such adorable kids." 

"Nuisance buggers, if you ask me," Gagne growled fondly. "Reminds me of you, actually." 

Barry laughed, knowing the full truth in those words. Taking a second to straighten up, he collected his bag and the reports, then followed Gagne out of the Lab. 

"I've always been a fan of books and explosions," Barry grinned. "An inquisitive mind makes for a better world." 

"Having friends makes for a perfect world!" Calvin chimed in as he "escaped" from the Captain's office. Barry groaned at the growly tones that faded away from behind his friend. "Get your work done?" 

Barry held up the reports. "Yeah, but if you got the Captain riled up, I'm not sure if I dare ... " 

"ALLEN! Get in here. NOW!" 

Calvin grinned. "Nah, he's in his happy mood right now. All warmed up for you!" 

Barry "Eep'ed" as Calvin pushed him into the office, the door shutting behind him. Turning, he faced a very scowly Captain Singh sitting at his desk, arms crossed, glaring daggers at him. 

"Uh, hi?" His mind blanked out completely, uncertain as to what he's done now. 

"Those my reports?" 

Barry blinked and raised his hand. "Oh! Uh, yeah." He plopped them on the desk and watched for a few minutes as the Captain looked through them. 

The final folder closed and Captain Singh settled back in his chair again. "I already got the details from Calvin," Barry paled, "and I made sure Jimmy kept busy with other stuff today. What are your plans this evening?" 

"Uh," Barry really didn't know. Aside from maybe going out on patrol that night, he really didn't know what to tell the Captain or why he was even asking. 

A message beep caught his attention and, feeling relieved, he hauled out his cell phone. 

Calvin -- << Hurry up! The ol' geezer ordered a ton of pizzas. We're headed over to his place! >>

Barry grinned. "Seems Gagne is dragging me and Calvin over to his place soon as we leave the building." 

"Good," the Captain had a tiny hint of a smile, "I'm pleased to see you're finally interacting with other members of my precinct, rather than just on a pleasantry greeting level." Barry blinked and the Captain continued, "You may not realise this, Allen, but you're the most popular guy here, the one guy many of the others trust the most and feel comfortable around. Everyone around here has their own little circle of friends but you never seem to allow yourself the time to become a part of any group, especially in the past two years." 

The Captain paused as he locked the folders into a cabinet. "The City isn't going to self-destruct in one night, Allen. Hartley can take care of himself while in Gotham. It's good to have a bigger network of companions to keep you occupied so you're not always fretting about protecting everyone. You need time to unwind; helps you focus better." 

Barry hadn't moved from his spot, not even when the Captain stood in front of him. "Get yourself over to your friend's place and be sure to thank Gagne for me for the reports. Tomorrow, I expect you here bright and early, and hopefully you'll have more than three reports for me!" 

Barry bristled. Sure, Gagne did do most of the heavily detailed reports, but Barry did print out nine reports from what he processed himself. Still, there seemed to be a lot of truth to the Captain's other words. Had he really been distancing himself from the rest of the precinct these past two years? 

Lost in thought, he wasn't aware that Captain Singh had pushed him out of the office, nor when Calvin caught his arm and pulled him outside of the precinct, and Gagne shoving the both of them into his car. 

It wasn't until he heard the twins squealing in delight when Barry came back to himself. He gazed around at a very nice suburban home with a lawn littered with bicycles, balls, sprinklers, and two very fuzzy puppies who were barking and sniffing around his ankles, tails wagging. He figured the pups were most excited about the ten boxes of pizza he was carrying. 

Barry grinned as Gagne picked up a giggling Kaelia, asking her about her day. Kayden was thoughtful to assist Calvin with carrying the bags of drinks, snacks, and Disney movies. Emma was waiting patiently at the door, beaming at the chaos happening on her front lawn. 

He didn't know what was happening but Barry felt something fill a hole within him that he didn't even know he had. He really admired his CSI friend, and having the chance to be part of their family chaos, it was a different kind of bliss he had never felt before. 

Maybe there really was something to what the Captain was saying; it's good to unwind with friends in more normal situations. 

Entering the house, Barry let all aspects of himself drift away. Here, in this house, all that was required of him was to eat pizza, watch Disney movies, let puppies pounce all over him, and enjoy the sounds of laughing children. 

He couldn't be happier. 

\----------------------------------------------

He winced and shivered as his blanket was pulled away. Rolling away from the sun glaring in through the window, he tipped off the bed. 

"Barry! We're gonna be ... hellfires, we're late for work! Move it already!!!" 

Barry blinked and bolted upright, staring up into violet eyes. Panic filled him. 

"Calvin! What the hell are you doing here?!" Glancing around, he saw his clothes strewn about as always, his bedsheets a mess. Looking down, he immediately grabbed a pillow to cover himself. Panic took root in his bones. 

"We ... we ... we ... " 

Calvin sighed then giggled, tossing the blanket at him. "Nothing happened, Barry. You got worn out last night from playing with the twins. Kenny and Jacks helped haul your sleepy ass back home. I stayed on the couch." 

"Kenny and Jacks?!" Barry groaned and flopped back on the floor. "I'm dead ... " 

"Geezes, does it always take you forever to wake up?" Calvin lightly kicked him. "Go shower, maybe you'll feel better." 

He heard the receding footsteps and his bedroom door closing over, followed by the sounds of chaos from the kitchen. It was a few minutes before he peeked out from beneath the blanket, reassuring himself that Calvin was no longer in his bedroom. 

Sitting up, he reflected back on last night. 

They had been eating pizza and watching various Disney cartoons, a couple of movies along with those that were a compilation of classic Mickey Mouse cartoons. At one point, Kayden thought to work on his latest experiment while watching the movies and just when Aladdin escaped the Cave of Wonders, the circuitry sparked and the whole house went dark. It had been a few minutes before they got the power back on, and another ten minutes before they calmed down a crying Kaelia who really didn't care much for the dark, then they were able to start the videos again. 

Naturally, Central City's most dedicated Disturbance Calls officers caught wind of the chaos, or maybe they just happened to be driving by when they noticed the lights flicker out, and decided to check in on them. Kenneth and Jackson made it their duty to inspect the fuse box, the twins, the puppies, and the final three pizza boxes, before they determined the cause of the chaos, and followed protocol in removing that cause. Which they determined, and likely reported, was a sleeping Barry Allen. 

Memory fully functional again, Barry grinned and stood up. As for Calvin, he likely stayed over to make sure Barry was okay. 

Grabbing some random clothes off the floor, he zipped into the shower and emerged to see a huge pile of pancakes. 

"Since when did I have pancake mix?" Barry mumbled after taking a delicious bite. 

Calvin giggled. "No idea. Was hiding behind the three boxes of rice." 

"I have rice?" Barry popped the last of the pancakes in his mouth and groaned in pleasure. 

"Has anyone ever told you what you sound like when eating food?" Calvin asked, collecting the empty plates. 

Barry's eyes popped open which caused Calvin to freeze. "Uh ... I mean ... " 

"Calvin, last night ... " Barry felt his eyes flicker as he felt unsettled about not being aware of what happened. He had never fallen asleep in unfamiliar surroundings before, and having been moved while he was out of it ... he shivered. 

Calvin set the plates back down and knelt down to capture his eyes. "Barry, nothing happened last night." 

Barry blinked at the stern tone and noticed the violet turning more amber. 

Calvin continued, "You're not used to hanging out with other people, I get that. However, you really enjoyed yourself when we were at Gagne's place. All good, normal, a regular family chaos night. I'm guessing you didn't get much of that growing up, huh?" 

Barry shook his head. 

Calvin grasped a hand and kneaded the back of it. "You were overwhelmed, too much excitement, you fell asleep easily as it was a pure, safe place. Gagne and Emma were both pleased you were relaxed. Anyway, Kenneth and Jackson hung around for awhile. When the twins went down for bed, they hauled your ass out to the car and brought you up here. They did hang around for a bit to make sure you were okay, and they scouted the building to make sure everyone else was good. I was settling in on the couch when I heard Mrs Cleary in the hallway, saying something about cookies, and I drifted off to sleep." 

Barry had to grin at that. Mrs Cleary always seem to have cookies in the oven. 

"Barry, last night, we brought you up, tossed you in bed, and that was it." Calvin also grinned. "Trust me, neither you nor me will face Hart's wrath when he comes home. Same for Kenny and Jacks as they were more interested in each other than they were in you." 

Barry blushed at Calvin's laughter. He settled back in his chair and let out a sigh of relief. 

"Okay, good, nothing happened ... " He immediately groaned at how badly that sounded. "Not that ... I ... uh ... Cal, you're a good guy ... and ... " Barry huffed, abandoning his words. 

Calvin laughed harder and patted his hand as he stood up, then turned serious again. "Barry, I get it, no worries. You're an amazing dork but also a very taken amazing dork. I'm not in the habit of sleeping with other people's boyfriends. If anything, I'm more the type to make sure nobody interferes with you and Hartley. Kenny and Jacks feel the same way, Gagne also. You don't ever need to fear one of us molesting either you or Hartley. You're perfectly safe with us." 

"Cal," Barry began but really didn't know what to say. There really are no words to describe how he's feeling. "Thank you. That means a lot." 

Calvin grinned and picked up the empty plates again, depositing them in the sink. 

Barry watched his younger friend straighten up the kitchen, leaving the frying pan to soak in bubbly hot water. It was 10:30 when he answered a knock to his door. 

Opening the door, Barry revealed a very scowly looking pair of officers. "Uh ... " 

Barry totally did not blush when the slightly shorter one of the pair poked him in the chest. "Still here, Allen? Nice to see you're fully dressed. Hey, Cal, you can quit the All Saint act, you're making the rest of us look bad!" 

Calvin snorted as he came up behind Barry. "Someone has to keep properly sane around here, Kenny. What are you guys doing here?" 

"If you ask me, you're the Boss' favourite snitch," Jackson mumbled but just clearly enough for the others to hear. Barry saw the spark of amusement in those eyes, heard Calvin's laughter, and relaxed as he allowed them entry. 

Kenneth addressed Calvin's query, "Cap sent us over to collect you guys, make sure you don't get lost. Seems Keystone's PD got a bit busy last night; their primary Forensics Lab under reconstruction, their back-up currently flooded with busted pipes, and their top three CSIs are all suffering from post-Steeple hangovers from the latest race outside London." 

"Horses," Jackson snorted. "Give me ice and a playing field any day." 

"Oh, c'mon, Jacks, they're not all that bad. You did seem to enjoy yourself at the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, remember?" 

"Only because you bribed me with ... " Jackson's comment was cut off as his beet-red partner clamped a hand over his mouth. 

"The means is not necessary, only the fact that you did," Kenneth said determinedly, ending that particular conversation. 

Calvin pulled on his jacket and turned back to the main point of the conversation. "How many cases has Keystone sent over?" 

Shoving Kenneth away, Jackson replied, "Too many for any sane person to get through. Perfect for Allen here!" 

"Geeze guys, ease up on me, will ya?" Barry groaned as he collected his own jacket and bag. "You're buying Jitters." He shoved his two officer friends out the door, Calvin following. 

Barry couldn't help but grin at his friends, grateful that they're taking time out of their schedules to check in on him. Sure, Kenny and Jacks did have an actual reason for popping over that morning, but Barry was pretty sure they were more interested in checking in on Mrs Cleary, making sure her oven was working properly, and offered to test her cookies, just to be sure. 

Once outside, they piled into the squad car and headed off to the precinct, making certain to stop by Jitters. Barry always felt that Jitters had the best drinks to complement Mrs Cleary's cookies with. 

Whatever awaited him in his Lab, he was more than ready to start the day. 

\----------------------------------------------

\-- I owe you! WW -- 

Barry beamed at the note for the hundredth time that day as he retrieved the final reports from the printer. Short and to the point, with the signature lightning bolt doodle, he hadn't heard from the Keystone Speedster in quite some time. 

Wally West, the Flash of Keystone, is Iris' younger brother, Joe's son. He had come into his powers due to some dark speedster who had the ability to take over another's body. Wally had been taken over for three days, and it was only due to the tech from the Earth 38 crew that was able to eradicate the evil speedster. However, in doing so, that left Wally with those powers, but fortunately, no darkness remained behind. After some testing and training, ensuring the young speedster's stability, Wally opted to take care of Keystone, where he grew up, seeing as Barry was already taking care of Central. 

Which is how the CCPD ended up with nearly two dozen of KCPD's cases to be processed ... well, the evidence boxes at least. And some cases contained at least three boxes, various sizes. One case had seven boxes alone, the messiest burglary Barry had ever seen. 

Wally is on good terms with the KCPD, often helping out with crime scenes. His talent lay in figuring out the vehicles of each scene; he can tell you the exact model, make, and colour of any vehicle based on their tire tracks alone. With his connections to Central, Wally put a good word in to make sure Barry caught most of the cases the KCPD were behind on in processing. 

And processing he did! It was nearly 6:00 pm when Barry gathered up everything that he processed from the 19 cases he was assigned. 

Reflecting back on the day, Barry was grateful he didn't have the usual interruptions that day. The only visitors had been his usual crew, his _new_ usual crew. 

Gagne came up frequently to check in on him, make sure he was working. Although, Barry suspected that his friend was merely finding excuses to escape his own work partner for awhile, especially based on his ranting and growling, while poking through Barry's boxes and doing some processing. Barry always enjoyed Gagne's company. 

Calvin also came up quite frequently whenever the young Tech wasn't pulled into conversation with the Senior Tech guys that he was supposed to be mentoring under. He was quite helpful with some of the gadgets that appeared in the boxes, including deactivating three listening bugs, one of which was hidden inside a broken cane. "Good ears," the Tech had commented. 

Then there were the other two, Kenneth and Jackson who both adamantly claimed that they were up there for "Security Reasons" and "Boss' Orders". Barry had snorted and grinned at the time, knowing full well what they were up to. However, when Captain Singh came up to check in on him, it was revealed that the Captain really had sent Kenny and Jacks up there to make sure Barry wouldn't be interrupted as the Keystone Cases needed to be processed ASAP. 

Joe had even managed to spare a moment to check in before the Detective dashed off to another case, very flushed in the face. Barry hoped that Joe wouldn't go into Angry Dad Mode and ground the three of them for "activities" happening at work, even though all Barry was doing was his cases. Still, Kenneth and Jackson were up in his Lab so that made him just as guilty as the ones feeling each other up. 

Grinning, Barry took a moment to straighten up his Lab, lining up all the evidence boxes and making sure each was labeled properly to match their corresponding files, then locked both computers and gathered up his bag. He had just shut the lights off when Jimmy appeared. 

"Barry! You're done for the day? I sure am. Those four cases I had sure took long enough. One of them had an unbelievable four boxes and it was all confetti of various colours and various splatters of DNA. Trust me, you don't ever want to go through confetti trying to determine which were red in natural colour and which were actually blood stains. Must have been some party, I tell you." 

"Jimmy ... " Barry attempted to step around the other CSI but the rambling continued. 

"Seeing as my four cases lasted the entire day, I can only imagine how many you have left. I'm gonna come in early tomorrow morning and help you get through your boxes. In the meantime, how about we dump our reports on the Captain's desk and get out of here? I'm thinking Chinese tonight. I also got a few DVDs in the post today that are right up our alley, to help get your mind off of things. They're of the ... uh ... interesting sort, if you get my meaning." Jimmy grinned and lightly elbowed him. 

"ALLEN! Hurry your lazy ass down here, will ya?" 

Barry froze as they were halfway down the stairs, Jimmy's arm draped over his shoulders as per usual. Jimmy kept right on walking which caused Barry to stumble. 

Upon reaching the bottom, Barry saw a very scowly Kenneth, tapping his foot impatiently. 

"Hey, Kenny, something stuck up your ass? What's up?" Jimmy grinned at the officer but Barry noticed it was not a cheerful grin. 

Kenneth snorted and glared daggers at Jimmy, but it was to Barry he spoke his words. "Dinner's delayed as we picked up a Disturbance Call. Me and Jacks gotta take care of it, then we'll be free. Figured we get done quicker if you joined us, unless you're backing out?" 

"Got plans already, Kenneth," Jimmy spoke more formally. "Maybe another time?" 

Jimmy had just started to push him past Kenneth when Jackson appeared. "Oh, hey, Barry! Great, you're all done. Has Kenny told you the slight alteration to our plans? Gotta take care of a call first, then we'll be free for dinner! Hopefully the Italian place will keep our table. Trust me, their desserts are simply to die for! If you haven't died and gone to heaven already by the end of the first course, that is. You're gonna love their lasagna! Let me take care of those for you." 

Barry blinked at how easily Jackson appeared, took over the conversation, eased him out from beneath Jimmy's arm, settled him next to Kenneth, and now has taken possession of the large stack of folders to deposit them on the Captain's desk. 

"Sorry, Jimmy," he told the other CSI, "but I already have dinner plans with Kenneth and Jackson tonight. Another time, maybe?" 

Jimmy, for his credit, had remained calm when Jackson appeared but Barry saw those subtle twitches of annoyance and saw it in the eyes as well. Kenneth had remained scowly, but the eyes showed victory. 

"Certainly, another night then, Barry. Enjoy your dinner, I hear the Italian place is quite remarkable, and quite difficult to get a reservation. I expect a full review tomorrow." Jimmy grinned and aimed for the door. "Have a good night, Kenneth, Jackson." 

"Have a good night, douchebag," Jackson spoke under his breath as he emerged from the office. 

Barry giggled at the comment. "He's not all that bad." Jackson raised an eyebrow at him, challenging that comment. "Okay, I admit he's a pest and a bit ignorant, but that doesn't make him a really bad person, just a bit single-minded-focused?" 

Kenneth snorted. "Right now, our single-minded-focus is on that call and dinner. You coming?" 

Kenneth brushed past him with a grinning Jackson in tow. Hearing some shuffling sounds coming from the nearby office, Barry hurried to catch up with his friends, not wanting to get caught up in a long-winded growling session. Aside from the drinks and snacks the others had brought throughout the day, he barely had anything to eat; dinner was definitely the primary thing on his mind. 

"Where's the call?" Barry asked as they reached Kenneth's car. 

Jackson glanced at the card. "Dishboy unable to dump garbage due to a large tabby sitting on the lid, refusing to budge. Probable cause: lasagna." 

Barry choked back a laugh. "You're not serious ... " 

Kenneth shoved him into the backseat. "Dead serious. You realise how fat tabby cats can get when they consume too much lasagna?" 

Secure inside, Barry broke out in laughter as they headed straight to the Italian restaurant. 

\----------------------------------------------

Upon getting home after a delightful night of lasagna and Mario Kart, Barry checked his cell phone for the millionth time that day. 

Only the usual barrage of messages from Hartley, each containing a new photo. Still no message from either Len or Mick. Dropping his gear wherever they landed on the floor, Barry sighed and flopped down on the couch. 

It's only been a few days, nothing to concern himself with. Barry can certainly take care of himself, right? Surely, he doesn't need to see Len and Mick every single day. They do have their own lives, after all, just as Barry does. 

Flipping over to the album on his cell phone, Barry skimmed through the images from that night. The first image was of that tabby eating lasagna outside the back service entrance of the restaurant. Knowing Kyle's fascination for critters, he sent that image over to the Hunter. 

There were also plenty of images of the Italian restaurant itself, especially of the inside decor, the elegant looking menu, the food, and a group shot of staff, chef, owner. Barry had promised to get the best images over to Iris for her blog and newspaper article, along with providing their full review of place. Which was nothing short of overwhelmingly blissful. 

Barry grinned at how Jackson kept imitating his reactions toward the delicious food, and at how Barry had to kick him to distract him from doing those imitations toward a very cool Kenneth. Afterward, it had become very clear as to why the car was parked at the far end of the lot, where no other cars were. Barry, for his part, had taken those five minutes to take a quick look around the City, and even checked in at Len's place (apparently, his Rogues hadn't been around that day at all). Arriving back at the car, Jackson was quite disheveled, Kenneth had a devilish smirk on his face, and the three of them headed off to their place. 

More pictures were taken as Jackson proved to be the better racer and that was when the images began increasing in content rating. Barry swore he had set his cell phone down after the first few pictures but they had a kitten of their own that kept playing with the device. Based on some of the angles and apparent too-much-zoom in a few of the images, Barry admitted that nobody would ever believe that a cute fuzzy furball had sealed his dreadful fate. 

He debated deleting the photos or confessing to his crimes. Curiosity won out as he really wanted to know what his Kart rivals would think of the photos. Studying a few of the more tame, yet still intimate images, Barry awed at the skill the kitten had, even if it were just reckless pressing of buttons and batting the cell phone around. All that he needed to do was adjust the angle a few degrees for some of the shots, then Kenneth and Jackson would have some real nice photos of them together. He had only seen the one picture of them in the living room. 

Deciding to keep all the images, even those that required a more Explicit rating, Barry planned to show them to the guys next time they're in private. There's always the chance that they may want a few _interesting_ photos for their private collection. Every couple has a private collection, right? After all, Barry has more than a multiverse's worth of photos and videos, with no thanks (thanks?) to Hartley and his dang surveillance tech. Once the guys decide on what to do with the photos, then Barry can delete them from his cell phone. And perhaps they will give him a lesser sentence for his honesty. Honesty has to count for something, right? Perhaps he had better have a fresh batch of Mrs Cleary's cookies on hand. 

Hearing a message ping, Barry checked it in hopes Len finally contacted him, but no, it was only Kyle responding to the tabby image. He still grinned a genuine smile as Kyle was very pleased to get the image as it reminded him of his favourite comic feline. Kyle had also sent an image of his own, one of Hartley settled on someone's back holding daggers that were dug into the neck and ... Barry winced at the location of that second dagger. Kyle's message stated that they were both doing fine. 

Seeing that it was now nearly 3:00 am, Barry popped his cell on the charger, double checked the locks on his door, and fell into bed, relieved to know that Hart and Kyle were doing well. Now if only he could be so certain about his other two Rogues. 

Tomorrow, he'll track them down even if he's gotta scour the entire planet. Just to check in on them, make sure they're okay. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing at the clock, he growled softly at the time, 11:15. Growling because of Allen's absence. Softly because of the sleeping feline draped around his left forearm. 

A tap at the door interrupted his reading of Rob's latest message. He sighed in annoyance then schooled his features into the normal Captain mode. 

"What?!" he barked out softly. He winced as the furball moved, hoping he hadn't woken her up. Thankfully, she only yawned lightly, tightened her grip, and fell asleep again. 

It was Joe that entered, and David let himself relax. There was no need to be the hard-ass Captain when his best Detective was in his office. However, the tension in his friend's eyes put him on high alert, along with the sounds of panic filtering in through the door. 

"Meta outside, full of explosives." Joe was always good at getting directly to the point. 

He sighed. "Of course there is. What does it want?" Moving his forearm onto the desk, he gently removed his precious feline. He laid her down on the fluffy blanket and draped another one across her back. 

"Oh, the usual," Joe replied, watching the kitten as she curled up into a fuzzy ball. "Complete and utter destruction of the CCPD because we arrested him a few times before the Explosion. Now that he's come into full power and know how to use his abilities, he feels justified in blowing us up." 

David snorted and stood up, checking his own weapons at his sides. "Lead the way. I'll talk to him." 

Joe nodded and they headed for the entry. "Good, seeing as he would only speak to you. Nobody can get close as he keeps tossing these mini explosives. Not enough to do serious damage aside from some burns if one gets too close." 

David growled. "Nice to know I'm so damn popular in this City." 

"You have no idea," Joe chuckled as they headed outside. 

Glancing around, blinking at the bright sun, David saw the usual chaos: a dozen of his officers with their guns trained on the Meta, too many civilians standing around watching, several news reporters with camera crews all talking rapidly, and the Meta himself at the centre of it all. He would never show it, but David was mighty glad that Detective West was standing right there with him. 

"You wanted to talk?" David's voice boomed out which halted all conversation. He prided himself on his powerful voice, able to capture a room instantly. 

"Oh, hey Captain! Long time no see. CATCH!" 

In stunned silence, everyone watched as the Meta reached into his jacket, hauled out an explosive device larger than his hand, and tossed it like a football toward the Captain. David heard the countdown beep and knew there was no time to duck out of the way; not that it would do any good because David knew explosives, and this one was enough to take out half the precinct and the surrounding civilians. 

One single blink later, Central City's finest hero zipped in, gaining altitude by bouncing off of the Meta's head, catching the bomb neatly in mid-air. The momentum carried the Flash to the railing which he then bounced off of, and tossed the bomb as hard and as far as he could into the air. Perfect timing, the bomb exploded soon as it reached its pinnacle. All the debris was caught before they landed, Flash piling them up into a neat pile. 

While all eyes were on the bomb and the Flash, David was pleased when two of his officers stayed focused on the Meta, which was now in their custody under dampener cuffs. Before the crowd broke out of their stunned silence, he saw Flash listen in on his comm and zip off again. 

"Crisis averted?" Joe spoke up first. 

"Crisis averted," David confirmed, allowing the faintest hint of a smile. 

Turning back into the precinct, away from the dozens of prying eyes trying to catch his attention, David smiled smugly, feeling that warm pride at how dedicated his CSI was. Still, that doesn't mean he can let Allen get away with skipping work. Oh, no, he had a reputation to uphold at his precinct, after all. 

Settling back down in his chair, David gently trailed his fingers along the soft fur while he contemplated what to task Allen with for his absence. He grinned his Captain grin as a thought came to mind. 

\----------------------------------------------

"What are you doing here?" 

Barry nearly winced at the cool attitude despite fully expecting it. He knew Len would be busy and wouldn't want distractions, but he had hoped his partner wouldn't have looked quite as pissed as he did right then. Before he could say anything, Len closed the distance and hissed at him. 

"You really shouldn't be here right now. What the hell are you thinking?!" 

Barry blinked as he took in his surroundings again. Okay, maybe Len did have a point, but he really did have a good reason for appearing at the Rogue Base. 

"Uh, need Mick?" Barry's voice totally did not squeak. 

He watched as Len took a step back and inhaled long and deep, in an attempt to calm himself down. It was a minute before the other spoke. 

"Are you actually asking permission to talk to Mick or is your verbal punctuation just as accurate as your written form?" 

Barry's heart fluttered at those words, at seeing the tiny glint of amusement in those ice cold eyes. Before he could respond, Len had spun around and headed back to the building. 

"Fine, I'll send him out, but don't keep him long." 

"Uh, about that ... " Barry really didn't know what to say as he didn't know how long he would need Mick for. "Some fires ... and ... well ... " 

Len sighed just as the pyro came out. "Fine! Get him back no later than 7:00 this evening." 

Barry definitely winced at that tone as Len slammed the door shut behind him. It was a few moments before he realised Mick had stepped up to him. 

"Hey, Red, more fires?" 

Turning to the pyro, Barry asked a question of his own, "Is he okay?" He really hoped he didn't sound too worried, but unfortunately, Mick picked up on his unease right away. 

"Let me get my gear. Meet me at the car." 

Barry saw the understanding in Mick's eyes as the pyro headed back to the building to collect his gear. Turning, Barry headed over to where Kyle's car rested and leaned against it, pulling back his cowl to let the cool air dry his damp skin. Despite it only being late summer, the cooler air is becoming more frequent; the season will change in a few short weeks. 

One would think the summer fires would have stopped by now, and they had stopped for awhile, but for unknown reasons, they had started up again that morning. Barry hadn't even made it in to work yet that day, aside from the brief visit to catch a bomb that some crazy Meta decided to toss at the precinct. 

He had literally just been a second away from arriving at work that morning when the Meta Beast Alert sounded. It was only a small Beast that Barry was able to take down with relative ease, but afterward, it was fire after fire after fire all across the City. The bomb was actually a nice breather from the heat. He had halted two more fires and one more regular Meta Human before deciding to track down Mick. There really shouldn't be this many fires when the air was so cool. 

"Here," Mick interrupted his thoughts and tossed a water bottle at him. Barry drank it down fully within seconds while his pyro tossed his gear into the backseat. 

There weren't any alerts right that moment, so Barry settled himself securely in the passenger seat, relieved at the respite. Aside from directing Mick over to the West Side, near the Metro Bridge, they rode in relative silence for a few minutes. During that time, Barry downed another bottle and two energy bars. 

He was lost in thought staring absently out the window when Mick spoke up. 

"Don't let his assness get to you, he's not angry with you, never has been. Lenny, he ... he's confused. Doesn't know how to behave properly." 

Barry thought that over for a moment. "Yeah, I know. Rough life, it's fine. It'll take him time to realise that I do understand." 

More silence, then Mick sighed and spoke again. "What happened, that ain't yer fault. Lenny feels responsible as it's his damn Rogues but he also knows that they often do stuff without his knowledge. He does understand where yer comin' from, yer thoughts, and even though they conflict with what he's used to, he's abiding by yer wishes. They's been talkin' this week, arguin', putting Rogues in their place, fixing contracts, and figurin' out what da hell happened so Lenny can better understand." 

Pulling into a quiet area near the Bridge, Mick shut the engine off and turned his full attention on Barry. He spoke sternly, yet softly, and in solid clear words. "Look, Barry, we get it, me and Lenny, most especially Lenny. We don't like it, but we also know it could have been far worse." 

Barry blinked, his own eyes sparking as he focused on Mick's words. 

"Me and Lenny, we grew up in a far different world than you did. We've seen many things that would give you nightmares for years. For us, those nightmares are all normal things. I'll spare you the details but trust me when I say there are gangs out there that would have done way worse to you than what the Rogues have done. I know you know this, but you don't know the true extent others would have gone. Hart has told you stuff?" 

Barry nodded. "Yeah, growing up, and I was with him during College and afterward. He still hasn't opened up too much about that last abduction but I've seen the damage, both physically and mentally." He shuddered at seeing all that darkness. 

Mick nodded solemnly. "Hart, he's used to our world, knows what's out there, the damage they can do, and not just in the physical sense. He can handle the physical abuse, it's the mental that we worry about most. Lenny knows yer the same way. We know you can protect yourself, hold yer own in battle, yer even used to being captured and tortured, can handle those no problem. However, this was the first time you were truly brutalised, and them bastards messed up yer mind. Have you ever been raped before?" 

Barry paled at the question not wanting to relive a past memory, but he knew that Mick was speaking from experience, and in an educational sense, getting him to speak up and face his ordeal. 

"Almost, twice, but managed to get away in time," Barry's voice was tight, speaking quietly. "Was just after my dad was sent to prison. The second time was the day after my dad was killed in prison. That was the first kid I put in the hospital, the only kid I put there." 

"You woulda been a right mess back then but you managed to pull through even at all odds. Things like that never leave a person, only gets buried deep so as not to affect daily life. However, it's how you dealt with it before burying, that's the important part as it determines your true mindset." 

Barry nodded, relaxing into his seat, grateful at Mick's calm tone. "It took awhile, years, but I have come to terms with my father's death. As for those kids," Barry sighed and shrugged, "I've accepted what they tried to do and moved on from it. No sense being stuck in the past, going over all the _what ifs_ and possibilities that never came to pass. All I could really do was move on and watch my back better." 

"Good. Ya got more sense growing up than most kids out there." Mick paused a few moments before continuing. 

"There's an entirely different mindset for having things done to you, rather than being almost done to you. Me and Lenny, we know this all too well. I got it way more than he did growing up, but his three times were far worse than any I ever got. I only ever got the physical side of things, Lenny got the entire package, and then some. It's why he no trust nobody. Keeping his distance, pushing others away, that's an ingrained survival instinct. Despite all that, he knows when a good person comes around. Most he ignore; the more innocent ones he tend to drive away, send them back into safe territory. He see a lost child separated from the folks, he gets the kid home. He'd never admit it but it's the most honest and innocent ones that attracts him the most. He no like seeing them living the kind of life we grew up in." 

"That was how you two stumbled across Hart all those years ago." Barry remembered that tale, gruesome as it was but a very important part of his partner's life. He had always known Hartley had a rough life, same with Len and Mick, but he had to admit that Mick was right; he truly did not know the real scope of things in their world. He shuddered at what could have been, grateful again that it had been the Rogues and not some other gang. 

Mick allowed him the time to process all the new information, the real truth of things, before continuing. 

"Mindgames is a dangerous thing, all gangs have some form of it they use on a daily basis. It's how they keep their members in line. They save the worst for their captives. What set you off?" 

Barry thought back to the night in question. "It was when Scudder put the blindfold on." 

Mick growled. "Took away yer eyes and yer powers. We's not that stupid to do that combination. Too dangerous." 

"I know," Barry spoke soothingly. "One or the other, sure, fine, but the combination in unknown territory, that's when the panic and fear rose. It grew worse when Dillon was striking the headboard, but not quite close enough to strike my skull. The repeated loud impacts was what really did me in, the sounds, that close, never knowing if the next strike may hit." 

"Dillon likes his mindgames, a little too much if ya ask me," Mick spoke understandingly. "Not something I'm a fan of. The purpose of the mindgames is not to affect yer consciousness, but yer subconscious. You may have seemed fine at the time, even afterward, but you start feeling the damage while you sleep, while yer subconscious is active. I know you talked to Hart more than you did us, but I know you didn't discuss the deepest of thoughts as you don't truly know the extent of yer own damage yet. That will only come in time, in spurts, never all at once." 

Barry felt himself turn deathly pale but understood the truth of his partner's words. "I ... I've seen it ... in Hart ... " 

"Yeah," Mick confirmed. "Even though you have healed him physically, it takes much longer for the mind to heal, if at all. Most days he appears calm, but I know he still struggles with his self-worth and importance. If you hadn't come around, we likely would have lost him long before the end of College." 

Barry shuddered at the thought. "I can't ever imagine my life without him." 

"None of us can. Not me, not Lenny, even Kyle has grown quite fond of him. Hart has more true friends than he even realises. It's up to us to keep reminding him of that fact." 

Barry allowed himself a small smile. "Yeah, after all, he's the one keeping us all together, keeping you and Len in line." 

Mick laughed. "Right you are. We keep him safe. At the same time, we're dedicated in keeping you safe as well." The pyro's tone turned serious again. "Physically, yer fine, always will be. We got the means to patch you up as needed. Emotionally, more tricky but doable. We can help you drain yerself out and help you recover. Mentally, now, that's the difficult part as every mind is different. Me and Lenny can only offer assistance based on our own experiences. Some may work, some may not, it's a learning experience for all of us. All we can do is our best in hopes we don't lose you down some dark path." 

"No matter the difficulties, no matter the trauma, open communication is the key step forward." Barry recited those words from deep within his memory. 

Mick beamed at him. "Exactly. No matter the time of day or night, something on yer mind, you speak up. Something bugging you, you speak up. If yer confused about something but not sure what, you speak up. If yer just looking for a drink, get it yerself and make sure you check in on us, to assure yerself that we's there." 

Barry sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "This ... all this is just ... " 

"Overwhelming? A lot to take in?" 

Barry glanced up at the pyro's calm demeanor. "Yeah. I often find myself wondering how you can remain so calm, Len, Kyle, Hart, all of you. Then you turn all Sage on me, full of wisdom, and I'm reminded that you guys grew up in a far different world than I did. As a CSI for the CCPD, I see more than my share of ugly cases and crime scenes, but it's usually after all the bad guys have stopped stabbing one another and ran off. Even out on patrol, I don't see much actual killing as I'm usually there just in time to prevent a bloodbath. However, you guys, you've seen all that, from the frontlines, the real battles, the stabbing, the killing, even all the violations and mutilations. You had front row seats to it all, even were the main event too many times to count. I only see things from the outside; it's far different knowing things from the inside, and I only caught a tiny glimpse into your true world." 

"C'mere," Mick pulled him close and held tightly. Barry hadn't realised just how much all that information was affecting him, how much his body was trembling. 

It was at least ten minutes before Barry came back to himself, opening his eyes, still held tightly in Mick's warm embrace. He sighed, not out of sadness but out of understanding. 

"Thank you," he told his pyro. 

"You needed to know, to understand," Mick told him. "If you go to bed tonight remembering only one thing, make sure you know that me and Lenny will always watch yer back. He may appear to be a real dick at times, but Lenny cares about you way more than you realise, way more than even he himself realises. On a trust level, he rates you as high as he does me. He will never balk at yer presence, never turn you away. For the record, I feel the same way about you. We would do anything to keep you safe." 

"Even if it means chaining me up to the bed, never to see daylight again?" Barry grinned as he wiped away a tear. 

"Nah, we leave dat form of torment up to Hart. We's more fer reminding yer body to heel when we call, keep ya at our sides. You be sure we rein you in if ya wander." Mick chuckled as he dropped back into his normal speech pattern. 

"Good, I'd hate for myself to wander if I'm somehow not in control. Who knows what's out there." Barry shivered at the thought. 

"Mebbe we'll tag ya when not in suit, track ya better. Intern' chip." 

Barry blinked at the thought that resulted in a lot more thoughts flooding in. Straightening up, he gazed up at Mick. "Constant tracker, set up to Hart's equipment at home, you'd be able to track my movements. The ones in my suit only work when they're functioning properly. Anyone who knows the Flash knows of the tech in the suit, the comms, trackers, sensors. Anyone who sees a regular guy, a CSI, most they may have is a Bluetooth chip usually for the cell phones and keep in contact with their partners while on duty. Unless the GPS is on in an active cell phone, it's difficult to track an individual, digitally speaking. Doesn't work so well if the battery is dead." 

Mick followed his line of thought perfectly. "Yer dot remain motionless fer more than five minutes, we check in." 

"Yeah, I can live with that. Knowing that you guys are keeping an eye on me, watching my back, just the thought alone makes me feel better. Knowing Hart, he can definitely create chips that no sensors can catch. Only those sensors that he create at his personal frequency, only those will be able to track me." 

"Y'can count on only certain ones havin' access to dem sensors." 

"Yes, definitely. STAR Labs primarily. ArrowCave also but not a priority as Felicity just hacks into STAR Labs anyway whenever she needs something. Lyla hacks into STAR Labs as well. For that matter, so does Winn, Brainy, and likely one of Hart's Gotham buddies." 

Mick burst out into laughter. "Good ta see STAR Labs keeping up it's rep!" 

"You have no idea," Barry rolled his eyes in amusement. "Seriously though, that's a really good idea, to chip me." 

Mick pulled him into another embrace. "Good, 'cause we ain't lettin' ya go. Now, c'mon, ya got some burnt out fires ta show me." 

Barry giggled as roaming hands tapped him on the ass. 

Stepping out of the car, Barry turned toward his pyro, a thought on his mind. "How come you don't speak normally more often?" 

Shutting the backseat door after retrieving his gear, Mick glared menacingly at the speedster. "What, and lose my Toughest Bastard in Central rep? Ya start blabbing about me hobbies, and how I get a lightbulb idea more 'n' twice a year, yer walkin' home in da cold. I'll even damp'ner the door, make sure ya can't get in." 

Barry snorted. "Oh, puleeze, this is me you're talking to." 

Mick slammed up into his space, bumping noses as he growled, "No more of me sneakin' ya Hart's cookies." 

That caught his attention and Barry paled at the thought of having his stolen Oreos privilege revoked. 

Mick snorted and grinned his toothy grin. "Good, ya get me. Let's go catch ourselves a bug." With a quick nip on the nose, the pyro turned away and headed down the path. 

Barry beamed brightly; at Mick, at Len, at how much they really do care about him. Who knew that the most depthful conversation out of all of them would be with his brutish partner. Who knew just how deep Mick's thoughts go, all the knowledge hidden within, full of unknown wisdom that has yet to see the light of day. Barry caught an extremely rare glimpse into Mick's soul that day, and he silently vowed to never reveal any of that priceless treasure to anyone. 

Mick's soul truly is priceless, and pure. Shining brightly, in secret, emerging only for those most precious to him. 

Barry felt extremely fortunate to be on the pyro's precious list. No place of honour would ever top that. 

Collecting himself, he zipped along to catch up to his precious pyro. Duty first. Sooner they get done, the more time they'll have before Mick has to get back to Len. 

\----------------------------------------------

Two hours and eight fire scenes later, Mick finished scribbling notes on his findings. Only three fires that day were due to faulty wiring in very old buildings; the other five were pretty unique in nature, but becoming more common around Central City. 

Approaching the car, he grinned at a sleeping Flash in the passenger seat. Barry was called out four more times but only one of those was a fire, which Mick just finished investigating. 

Tossing his gear gently into the trunk, and his latest finding into the backseat, Mick pulled out of the scene, intending to take his speedster home. 

It wasn't long before a squad car angled into his path. 

Slamming on the brakes, Mick hissed, a single inch away from the blasted car. Last thing he needed was to get a scratch on Kyle's car; a dent would render him six feet under. 

He was about to get out of the car to lay into the idiots but they moved much quicker than he thought possible for cops. He had just put his hand on the door handle when one of them tapped the window. 

Sighing, Mick rolled down the window but only part-way. The windows in Kyle's car were tinted but they don't exactly hide the contents within too well when the windows were down. 

"What?!" he growled, then squinted. "I know you ... " 

The slightly shorter of the pair tapped the window again, this time with his stick. "Routine inspection." 

"What da blazes for? Ain't done nuttin, jest drivin' around." Annoyed he definitely was, especially when he's trying to remind himself who these two were. Last thing he needed was cops believing he kidnapped Central City's hero. 

Second last thing he needed was one of his fire scenes' evidence crawling over his shoulder to peek out the window. 

Mew? 

"Uh ... " 

"Window, Rory, or I'll reach in there and roll it down myself." 

Mick cursed and rolled the window down the rest of the way, only to see the kitten clamp on to the stick. The officer lifted his stick up to glare at the kitten. 

To his horror, Mick saw the kitten belch out a flame. To his stunned belief, the officer's eyes sparkled despite the frown on the face. 

"You do realise it's a felony to drive around with an open flame?" the officer asked. "You also realise it is within my rights to confiscate this open flame?" 

"Uh ... " What could Mick possibly say? Except to look dumbly as the officer handed the furball over to the other officer. The kitten mewed happily and settled itself on the new shoulder perch. 

The first officer leaned in and took a good look around. "Hmm, four more potentially dangerous critters. You best get them home before some other cop decides to pull you over. Hear?" 

"Hear ya," Mick grumbled. 

"This one is an Ember!" the other officer spoke up, not hiding his smile at all. 

"Oh? How ya figure?" the first officer looked back over his shoulder at his partner. 

"I asked, and it mewed happily!" 

The first officer snorted. "Think it's mewing about the half-eaten tuna sandwich in your pocket, Jacks." 

"Still gonna call it Ember. Right, Ember?" 

Mew!!! 

Mick relaxed into his seat. Jacks, this other guy is that Kenny fella. Good guys, trusted around his sleeping passenger. 

"Get him home," Kenny ordered him as he turned back toward his own car. 

"Right," Mick grinned as he glanced over at his Flash, head tossed back, drooling, a kitten nestled on his shoulder, also sound asleep. 

Moments later, the squad car pulled away and Mick continued on his own journey. He wasn't even the least bit annoyed when he got pulled over a second time, this time by that CSI guy who got word of the car's contents. He remembered the guy, Gagne, and allowed a curious kitten find its way to him, and off to a new home. 

As he drove off to Barry's place, Mick wondered how the hell he would submit his findings if all his evidence kept wandering off. 

\----------------------------------------------

Two days later, Barry found himself laying on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling, unmindful of the mewing of two kittens. Tilting his head, he gazed at the sleeping feline on the coffee table. Scratches came over for a visit while Mrs Cleary was visiting Joyce downstairs. 

He sighed. 

Len and Mick were busy doing Rogue stuff, Calvin got called away to Metropolis, Gagne is on a weekend family trip to Coast City. Even Kenneth and Jackson were unavailable as they were tagged to help out the KCPD. 

Glancing at the calendar on his cell phone, and the latest messages, Hartley and Kyle were due back on Monday. 

Captain Singh gave him the weekend off after seeing how exhausted Barry was. He was quite pleased with the fire reports, despite having to figure out how to explain why a criminal was poking around crime scenes. Still, the Captain did soften when the precinct acquired a new mascot; not that he had any choice in the matter, especially after seeing Johnston and Clements secretly playing with the furball over in the copier corner. 

Barry smiled at the memory of having discovered five more fireball kittens, the source of some of the fires around Central City. Dangerous as they are, they were also the most loyal and protective creatures in the city. They only needed good homes. Two had already gone with his fellow officers, the CCPD adopted one, Mick likely has the fourth. As for the fifth? He heard the hiccup and a burst of flame, followed by Fireball's happy mews as it butted his new friend. 

Adorable as they are, they were also extremely dangerous. Barry's pleased that this batch is taken care of; who knows how many more are scattered throughout the city? At least he knows what to look for now when he's out on patrol. 

Checking his messages again, Barry sighed, again. The last message from Hart was over an hour ago, some sort of mission. There hadn't been any messages from Kyle since late last night. 

Dropping the cell phone, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. 

* * * *

Dreams were troubled, of faraway darkness, which confused him as there was no darkness. He had banished the darkness, only his light remained, reaching into all the corners and open spaces. 

Glancing down, he realised the darkness wasn't as far away as he thought; it swirled around his ankles, his legs, his waist ... he hopped backward but the darkness remained. 

He held out his hand to find a black dot, and another black dot, and another; all over his arms. More appeared on his chest, sinking inward. He clawed at his chest but it was too late; all the black dots became absorbed. 

His mind darkened. His memory faltered. It was becoming more difficult to remember what that other darkness was as this darkness was very different. There was something he needed to do ... someone he needed to be with ... What? Who? 

Darkness feels nice. 

"Home, soon." 

Yes. Need home. Soon. 

* * * *

Waking up in a panic, drenched in sweat, Barry glanced around and down at himself. Nothing out of the ordinary except that it was full dark outside and no lights were on. A blanket was also draped over him. 

Falling heavily back down on the couch, he calmed his breathing, clutching the blanket close due to the chill. Whatever that dream was, it wasn't good, it didn't feel good. 

A few minutes later, he got up and turned the light on, then grabbed a glass of water. Looking around, he saw no sign of the felines. He did see a new container on the table with a note: 

\-- Fresh batch! The kitties are sound asleep over here. Mrs C -- 

Feeling warmed by his neighbour's hospitality, Barry smiled and snagged a cookie. However, he only nibbled as that dream really bothered him. And the only ones he knew that were well experienced in darkness and dreams, they're both in Gotham. 

Glancing at the clock, it was just after midnight; after 1:00 am on the East coast. 

Deciding, he zipped around to pack a bag and change his clothes. Packing the cookies safely, he then scribbled out a note and left it on Mrs Cleary's kitchen table. 

Moments later, he zipped out into the night. 

\----------------------------------------------

Aggravating cannot begin to explain the situation. 

Finally, the pest is gone, off to that Monster Haven, likely never to return, especially based on all the stories he'd heard from out there. 

That should have made his conquest easy, right? Wrong. 

More pests. How the hell his target suddenly acquired bodyguards, he had no idea. 

Time to go back to the original plan he had all those weeks ago. He knew just the cases to reactivate, the evidence to plant; he can also gain some new evidence. Sooner he separates him from the pack, the better. 

Hauling the evidence box out from under the bed, he set to work. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally back to more normal length, we were in dire need of a more light-hearted chapter. A bit of filler, a long-awaited mystery has been solved, some cuteness, also the conversation with Mick which proved to be quite insightful.
> 
> Originally, there were only going to be 12 chapters but some things ended up taking longer to write, making chapters bigger, and more stuff kept happening and needed explaining. ICE PLAY is now officially 15 chapters, and I have two side stories in the works, with plans for a collection of short stories. As for beyond? Only time will tell!
> 
> First things first, get chapters 11 - 15 finished and uploaded. Thank you so much for coming along for the ride! See ya on the next upload!
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Gagne  
> Senior CSI, late 30s, always patient and looks out for Barry at the precinct.
> 
> Emma  
> Gagne's wife, they have twins Kayden and Kaelia who are in the 3rd grade, and two puppies about 6 months old. Emma is very loyal and supportive, and she assists the neighbourhood with tutoring children.
> 
> Wally West (K-Flash)  
> The Flash of Keystone, Wally is the younger brother of Iris and the son of Detective Joe West. Gaining his powers in an unnatural way, he chose to protect the town he grew up in. Not much is yet known in terms of any potential unique abilities, or how he goes about his business. However, he is on excellent terms with the KCPD and provides valuable intel into vehicles used during crime scenes.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gotham City, where monsters roam the day and rule the night. Hartley, Kyle, and Ray Palmer are investigating a rare form of Dwarf Star. Hart soon realises that this Gotham is far different from the Gotham he left two years ago. He knew there were likely to be changes but had never known just how much until arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter that primarily focuses on Hartley! This time we're in Gotham and we will gain some insight into the past. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I did writing. :)
> 
> Extra Stuff  
> Regarding Chapter 9 and Len's and Barry's conversation, if Len seems mixed up in how he views his relationship with Barry, it's because he is. This is new territory for him, uncomfortable territory, but good territory and he fears it. He fears losing Barry. If he seems harsh with claiming ownership of Barry, that's his way of keeping Barry safe, he doesn't know any other way, especially not any that actually works. Len knows how deadly criminals can get, he has lived in that world all his life. Barry knows criminals, can take care of himself in the physical sense, but he has no idea the type of mentality the criminal world holds. Len knows all too well how criminals can destroy a person's mind, and thus wants to protect Barry from the true worst of the criminal world. Also, Len really sucks at communicating such things, along with his feelings and reasonings, especially to Barry. He wants to protect him, keep him safe, but he doesn't know how to do so without suffocating him, nor does he know how to explain this properly to Barry.
> 
> In the grand scheme of things, we're all lucky that it was the Rogues, Mardon and the others, that captured Barry. Any other criminal group would have done far worse. Barry realises that, even though he still doesn't quite understand just how far worse it could go, as he hasn't been gang-captured like this before. The capture and what his Rogues had done was a wake-up call to Len and that escalated him into wanting to get a contract in place with Barry. Criminals understand contracts and the basic Criminal Code is to not poach others who are already under a contract, as that would likely lead to Gang Wars, as the case was presented from years ago when a new gang in town poached Hartley. Contracts keep the basic Criminals away, and all those that fear the Snart name. Unfortunately, new criminals coming into Central City won't know this starting out, and are likely to poach but Len feels confident enough to handle a few criminals as opposed to several gangs at once.
> 
> Len doesn't mean to sound all bossy, possessive, and treating Barry like an object to be owned. It's just the way things were all his life, what he's used to. Barry does his best to understand and continues to show Len that he really is with Len because he wants to be. Contracts are just a formality, a piece of paper. What matters most to Barry is feelings, trust, loyalty. Len still has difficulty in admitting his feelings to Barry, and admitting to himself that Barry truly is there on his own free will. Len is used to betrayal so it's always at the back of his mind that Barry could very likely turn away, and that thought scares him, a lot. Being harsh is his way, in hopes, of making Barry understand just how much the speedster means to him.
> 
> Hopefully they'll have a better, more meaningful conversation at some point. If things appear confusing right now in my writing, it's only because the characters themselves are confused, Len especially. I'm in their mindset when I write their sections, and working thru their thought processes. I do this as a different way to show character growth as the story progresses. Again, this is a learning experience for me. Everything should become more clear in the chapters to come, when my characters themselves become more clear of things!
> 
> Onwards to a new chapter! Enjoy!
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Too much Floyd Lawton? :p

**\-- Gotham Play --**  


Heading back out to the main seating area of the Jet, Ray Palmer carried his tablet and a cup of tea over to his chair. He nearly spilt the tea at what was happening on _his_ Jet. Sighing in exasperation, Ray settled himself down. 

"Must you carry a dangerous weapon around _my_ Jet?" Ray growled at the pesky Hunter. "Is that thing even unloaded? Do you even have the safety on? What ever gave you the possible idea that it was perfectly okay to ... " 

"Oh, hush, pretty boy, you'll wake him." Floyd Lawton smirked, ignoring Ray's protests. He was far too focused on seeing how far up the inside of Hartley's pantleg he can get the barrel of his sniper before the sleeping form stirred. 

Ray watched, momentarily fascinated, as the barrel reached as far up as it could go, and his friend still hadn't woken up. Mentally shaking himself, he turned his gaze to the Central Hunter. Kyle Nimbus was under contract as Hartley's bodyguard. Kyle Nimbus was also sitting there quietly, relaxed, with Hartley's head on his lap, while reading a book, letting the Gotham Hunter roam dangerous weapons along Hartley's body. 

"Are you not going to do anything?" Ray asked the silent Hunter. 

Kyle glanced up and turned his gaze toward the other Hunter, watching for a few moments as Floyd wiggled his sniper around and got it to curve inward. 

"Nope," Kyle replied and flipped a page in his book, going back to reading. 

Ray sighed and leaned back in his chair. He was just about to take a sip of his tea when Hartley jolted awake with a "Gyaaaagh!", which in turn splattered some tea on his tablet. 

"Bloody hell you doing?!" Hartley growled as he pulled his leg away from the pesky Hunter and neatly retrieved the sniper, spinning it around to slam against the other's throat. Ray had to marvel at how smoothly his friend moved. 

"Mmm, successful mission," Floyd grinned, unconcerned about the barrel pressing hard enough to leave a bruise. 

"If your mission was to get me annoyed, then you did an amazing job of it," Hartley spat out. 

Cleaning off his tablet, Ray watched as Floyd gripped the barrel, pulled it to the side and tugged roughly. Due to his tight hold, Hartley stumbled forward and lost his grip as Floyd set the firearm aside. Floyd had neatly caught his prey and shifted around, pressing Hart right where he was sitting. 

"Now, I'm not bored," Floyd declared as he tucked a hand down the inside of Hart's pants. 

"Floyd ... " Hartley began to protest but the Hunter pressed a finger to his lips. 

"Hush, none of that now. You've denied me far too long on this flight." Floyd grinned and leaned down into a breath-denying kiss, his hand moving rapidly; Ray could see the outlines of both hand and erection perfectly through the fabric. 

Feeling flustered and greatly annoyed, Ray snapped at Floyd, "Must you do that here? Do you have any idea how expensive it is to clean the seat cushions?" 

Ray nearly groaned as his own pants tightened, with the way Floyd had slowly pulled out of the kiss to glare at Ray over his shoulder, saliva dripping from the tongue that grazed along the cheek as he moved. He also nearly laughed when Floyd snorted in annoyance. 

"Fine," Floyd growled as he straightened up, pulling his hand out. Ray nearly lost his composure when the blasted Hunter began cleaning his fingers with his mouth. Hartley was laying there limply, quite flustered while catching his breath. 

"Thank you ... " Ray began but was interrupted when Floyd suddenly stood up, gripping Hart's shirts. 

"C'mon, before grandma has a seizure," Floyd said as he hauled Hartley up and dragged him off to a different section, far away from the seating area. 

Ray blinked as they disappeared, wondering if Hartley was okay. Turning his attention back to the silent Hunter, he was both amazed and annoyed at how Kyle continued reading. 

"Is it really okay to let Floyd molest Hartley like that?" 

Kyle flipped a page, continuing to read. "Yes." 

"Does he not realise that Hart already has a partner?" Ray felt like he was missing something, especially when Kyle remained perfectly calm. 

"Floyd knows." 

"Well, shouldn't you be making sure Hartley doesn't betray Barry?" That was part of a bodyguard's job, right? At least, that's what Ray had thought. 

"Hart's a big boy, he can make his own decisions." Kyle rotated his shoulders and set his book down, turning to Ray. He wasn't certain, but Ray thought he caught a slight flicker in those grey eyes. 

Ray set his tablet on the table. "Floyd seems reckless, unconcerned about the rules. Can it be absolutely certain that he won't hurt Hartley?" 

"Very much so," Kyle confirmed. "Ray, it might not appear to be so right now, as you don't know him, but Floyd is the one guy in all of Gotham that Hart trusts the most. Yes, Floyd is reckless, ignores the rules, is a self-centred conceited asshole, but he's our asshole. There are only two rules that Floyd follows without question: the second rule is to always keep track of his Hunter brothers, checking in with both myself and my brother at regular times, knowing our assignments, our locations, who we are with. That's our prime brothership rule, the three of us follow it absolute." 

"What's the first rule?" Ray had a sense of what Kyle would say but the one thing he really wanted to know was how they came to trust Floyd. 

"Floyd's second rule really should have been first but the three of us are in agreement that the first rule must always come before ourselves. That rule is the protection of Hartley." 

It was as Ray suspected but he still couldn't understand how Floyd can be a proper bodyguard if he kept insisting on tackling his charge. He voiced his concern and received a light chuckle in return. 

"Floyd would never truly hurt Hart, he loves him far too much to do any harm. Floyd would gladly let his own body be mutilated before he would allow anyone to lay a single finger on Hart. I am Hart's primary caretaker, but as long as we're in Gotham, Floyd's primary duty is to be Hart's protector as well. Even in Central, when Floyd comes around, soon as he sees Hart, his primary function is to stay at his side. It's ingrained, instinctive. My brother goes into that same protective mode when he's between assignments." 

"You trust Floyd," Ray awed, unable to come up with a better comment. 

"Yes. I trust Floyd with both Hart's life and my own. Floyd and my brother are the two I trust the most to watch our backs. Others now as well but I've known those two the longest. Floyd grew up with me and my brother, trained with us, became a Hunter with us. Hunters rarely socialise with one another but we are different; hence our success rates are the highest in the country." 

"And that?" Ray indicated the direction the two had gone. 

Kyle grinned. "Floyd may be an asshole but he's very much Hart's asshole. They have history, a story for another time. All you need know is that Hart is perfectly capable of handling Floyd. In a truth well-known to us Hunters, if Hart were to become a Hunter, he would instantly knock Floyd out of the 3rd slot, likely bump me down to that rank. Floyd may have assisted with Hart's training a few years ago but Hart is far quicker and more agile than the rest of us. We can take hits with ease, Hart is tops with avoiding hits altogether. As you already witnessed, Hart can easily gain the upper hand when Floyd is involved." 

Ray shuddered at the memory, at having seen how smoothly the two of them had moved, "Like a perfectly orchestrated dance." He hadn't realised he voiced the thought when Kyle agreed. 

"Exactly. They move perfectly in-sync with each other, both on and off the battlefield. It's a real treat to watch them, never knowing who's going to get the upper hand, how they're going to move, twist around, capture, escape." 

Ray's eyes grew wide. "Uh, forgive me but I thought we were discussing their current activity, not a battle?" 

"We are," Kyle beamed. "A story for later but all of Floyd's advances are part of the training, to hone Hart's skills of maneuvering and escape, keep his reflexes up." 

Ray couldn't think how remotely similar sex could be with battle training. "Why later? We're talking now." 

Kyle pointed up at the clock just as the pilot's voice came over the speakers, "Five minutes until touchdown. Make sure you kids are strapped in!" 

"Right," Ray groaned as he repositioned himself to get buckled in. "Naturally, it will take longer than five minutes to tell me more about you Hunters and how Hartley became such a favourite amongst you three. Will I get to meet this brother of yours?" 

Kyle finished buckling himself in before responding, "If my brother is in Gotham, yes, you will get to meet him. We make it a point to introduce our most trusted companions to each other, update our personal database at the Manor. Helps keep you and ourselves safe." 

"Uh ... " Ray really did not know what to say to that comment. To be immediately liked and trusted by the Hunter he only met that morning, that was quite overwhelming and unexpected. 

Before he could even come up with a comment, a blood-curdling scream echoed down to the seating area. A moment later, Hartley appeared and settled himself next to Kyle, looking quite smug. 

"Do I even want to ask?" Ray inquired. 

"Nope," Kyle responded, slipping back into his shortened speech pattern. Hartley's eyes sparkled with satisfaction, but did not say anything. 

Ray sighed, really hoping there wasn't going to be extra cleaning on his Jet. Stains from various bodily fluids were always difficult to remove; blood wasn't even the most annoying. 

Within moments, they were coasting along the Wayne Airstrip, and Ray turned his focus to their arrival, once he was certain his own pants were settled more comfortingly. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Ah, you have arrived. I trust the flight went well?" 

Hartley grinned at seeing his elder friend again, embracing him in a hug. 

"Alfred, so good to see you again. Yes, flight went very well. The PalmerTech Jet is the smoothest aircraft in the skies. The Jet has these inertia dampeners so you don't even feel the pressure or motions during take-off and landing. Still, there are other factors at play in that Jet as the flight was a little too smooth to be believable, I just need to study it further, find out ... " 

Alfred barked out a laugh, interrupting his line of thought. "Very good to see your mind is shining brightly, young Hartley. However, as it is currently raining quite heavily, might I suggest we get back to the Manor?" 

Hartley blinked, only just realising how foul the weather really was in Gotham. "Oh! Of course. Let me collect the others and we can be on our way." 

"We here," Kyle spoke up from behind him, the rest of their bags shared between him and Ray, who just nodded, more focused on not dropping a slipping bag. 

Hartley relieved his friend of a few bags then turned back to Alfred. "Alfred, this is Ray Palmer, the Dwarf Star expert I was telling you about. Ray, Alfred Pennyworth, he runs Wayne Manor and looks out for Bruce Wayne." 

"I am merely a Butler of the Manor and my primary duty is to make sure Master Bruce has his night-time tea to help him sleep. It is a real pleasure to meet you, Master Palmer. I am quite certain our discussions will be quite enlightening." 

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Alfred," Ray reached out and shook the Butler's hand just as a bag slipped, which Hartley caught neatly. "Soon as Hartley mentioned Dwarf Star, I was prepping the Jet for the trip. That was the longest five days of my life!" 

Alfred chuckled in amusement as they loaded the trunk with their luggage and piled themselves into the car. It was Ray that noticed the absence of one of their members. 

"Shouldn't we go back for Floyd?" 

Hartley shook his head. "No. He knows where the Manor is. He'll show up at the most annoying time, as is his way." 

En-route to the Manor, Hartley inwardly grinned at how he turned off the inertia dampener in the back part of the Jet and positioned Floyd in just the most agonising position with a vibrator shoved up his ass. The Jet's descent would have pressed that vibrator in a little bit deeper, enough to make the Hunter unleash two loads. 

Outwardly, he lightly frowned at the feel of Gotham. He can't quite put his finger on it, but Gotham feels different, older somehow. Even Alfred appear to be at least ten years older rather than the two he should have been since Hart saw him last. 

"Now then," Alfred spoke up twenty minutes later once they reached the Manor, freshened up, and piled into the Library. "Master Bruce is not in residence at this time but is expected back by tomorrow evening. In the meantime, if there is anything you three need, I am here to tend to those needs ... within reason of course." 

Hartley flushed as Alfred spoke those last words directly to him, feeling mighty glad that they left Floyd behind at the Jet. 

"As for you, Master Palmer," Alfred redirected his gaze over to Ray and pulled something amber out of his pocket. "This here is part of the newest Dwarf Star. It is a sample that Lawton retrieved on one of his recent missions. It is a different Star than the one we discovered not long previous." 

Hartley blinked as Ray examined the new piece. Amber in colour with a flickering orange in the centre, it was different from the sample Floyd gave him. That one had been blue with flickering purple. 

"Where's the rest of the Star?" Ray inquired, watching the orange centre flicker as he moved his finger along the sample. 

"Held as evidence at the Station," Alfred told them. 

Hartley paled, now truly finding out his purpose for being there. "Wait ... you want _me_ to break into the Evidence room at the GCPD?!" 

"You are naturally the best sort of person for the job," Alfred confirmed. "Your Hunter brothers do not have the agility that you possess, nor your smaller size." 

"I know, but ... GCPD?!" Hartley whined as he wandered off, muttering about the insanity of the plan and started thinking of various ways he could pull it off. 

"If it's size you need, I can shrink down into a tiny state," Ray revealed. 

Hartley paused his pacing in front of his Starling friend. "How many sizes do you have?" 

"Uh, three?" Ray had to think for a moment. "Tiny, normal, big." 

Hartley shook his head. "Wouldn't work. I know your tiny form and a standard size Dwarf Star rock is enough to crush you if it even slightly wobbles. You wouldn't be able to carry it." 

"Oh, right," Ray went back to thinking. 

"How big is this new Star?" Hartley asked. 

Alfred led them over to a display case on the far side of the Library. Hartley whistled at the blue Star with its flickering purple. It was larger than the usual samples he gets of the normal Star. 

"The Amber Star is nearly twice the size of this one," Alfred told them. "A mite difficult for Lawton to retrieve without anyone noticing." 

"Naturally, it's up to me to come up with a way to get that Star here," Hartley sighed and felt warmed as well. This was exactly the type of puzzle he so enjoyed during heists, and it certainly wasn't the first time he had broken into a police station. He really had no problem with breaking into the GCPD but ... 

"GCPD would have changed since I was here last. I would need the latest intel, the current blueprints, floorplans, who's in charge, routine, busy times, quiet times." 

Alfred smiled and nodded. "Of course. Not much has changed since Lawton was there last, right before he went out to Central City. We have all the information from that time, including video footage. I will see to the delivery of those items to the Library myself. First, however, it is nearly 4:00 in the afternoon. May I suggest a late lunch or early dinner?" 

Hartley flushed as his stomach growled, which rarely ever happens in public. Last time he ate was breakfast on the Jet. He did make sure to drink plenty of water, as per Barry's orders. 

Agreeing, the trio followed the Butler through the immaculate corridors down to the kitchen. 

\----------------------------------------------

Very late that night, or very early the next morning, however way one prefer to look at it, Hartley dangled from his grappling cord a few feet off the floor of the GCPD's common area. Glancing around, he didn't see any new security devices, and the only person he saw was the lady at the front desk who got tagged with phone duty for the night. Over by the elevator sat a guard sound asleep. At least the lady was awake, even though she was more focused on filing her nails. 

Unhooking his clip, he dropped down lightly without making a sound. 

Remembering the blueprints, Hartley hurried over to the Evidence room. Within seconds, he unlocked the door and slipped in, pausing for a moment, as the room appeared far bigger than he expected it to be. Based on the video footage, the Amber Star should be along the right side, which is where he headed. 

A few minutes later, Hartley found what he was looking for. The Amber Star glowed brightly with its flickering orange centre. It was twice the size of his two fists together. Lifting the Star, he also found it quite heavy. 

Reaching into the pouch on the back of his belt, he hauled out the newest device. Between the two of them, Hartley was able to create a shrink ray; although he had to use some of the materials from the Atom suit to do so. Ray was currently dismantling more of his suit to create the enlargement ray as they hadn't had time to put in the reverse function into the shrink ray. 

Taking aim, the Amber Star shrunk down to fit snuggly into the palm of his hand. Smiling, Hartley pocketed both the shrink ray and the Star, then slipped out of the Evidence room, unmindful of the Captain standing next to the door, watching him. 

Reaching up, Hartley tugged on his cord and attached his clip. He was about to retract the grappling cord, when the Captain came up to him. 

"Might want to remember to lock the door next time?" 

Hartley glanced back over his shoulder to see a scowling Jim Gordon with his arms crossed, and flushed at the comment. "Ah, right. Next time." 

"Go." 

Hartley blinked as he watched his friend turn away, heading back to his office. As he rose upward to the skylight, and pulled himself out of the GCPD, he reflected on how the years have changed his friend. Jim Gordan appeared much older, much more experienced, a lot more hardened in his features, yet still incredibly handsome. He wondered when Jim became the boss; when he was in Gotham last time, Jim had only been a detective. 

Sealing up the skylight, he dashed off into the night. 

\----------------------------------------------

"What's on your mind?" 

Like he does in the night around the city, he entered the Library without a whisper of sound. It was from his friend that Hartley had learned to move so stealthily. 

Glancing up from the piles of paper strewn all over the table before him, he watched the owner of the Manor settle down in his favourite chair. 

Bruce Wayne, owner and CEO of Wayne Enterprises, inherited from his deceased father. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscled, incredibly handsome, and still a bachelor, which has caused many assassination attempts in the past year alone. Criminals seem to be of the belief that the best way to take down Gotham's Billionaire was through the heart, courtesy of beautiful ladies. No such attempt has worked thus far, but they kept trying, and Bruce kept foiling their plans. 

Leaning back against the cushions, Hartley pondered the question. Ever since arriving in Gotham yesterday, he's had so many questions. Where can he possibly begin? 

Bruce was as perceptive as always, noticing the hesitation, and brought up the one thing that was most on his mind. "You are confused about all this. How much Gotham has changed since you left two years ago." 

"Yes," Hartley confessed. "When I first arrived three years ago, you were just beginning to prowl the night. I helped you out that year, creating tech that fit your needs. We learned a lot, together. You even taught me many things you have learned over the years; your training saved me in more ways than one. Now, it's like you advanced more than what the two years would normally allow. You progressed way further than I did." 

Bruce nodded. "Indeed, I have. From my perspective, I gained twelve years of experience, have lived those twelve years, the two since you left plus ten. You do know of The Merging?" 

Hartley sighed and rubbed his weary eyes. "Yeah, but I paid no attention back then. Like everyone, I felt something had happened, but I was more focused on preparing for my date that night. I ignored the news reports, didn't notice the changes as I headed out. That was right when I was captured, and I was held captive for nearly a year. I didn't exactly get much in the line of news during that time. Afterward, it was healing and treatments, didn't get out much. Truth be told, I had forgotten all about it. It was only when I stepped off the Palmer Jet that I felt the changes here in Gotham." 

Not for the first time since that night, Hartley reflected back on the incident. Previously, he wished he had sensed something was wrong, had paid attention to the warning in his gut, had mentally beat himself for getting captured, then felt he had deserved it. Now, since getting off the Jet, he began to wonder if The Merging inadvertently caused his abduction. The guy he was seeing, may not have known they had a date, may not even have been the same guy, may likely have changed. Hart just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well, still felt like the abduction was planned but still ... he mentally shook off the thoughts as he focused back on Bruce. 

Bruce allowed him the time for his thoughts before continuing. "Everyone has felt The Merging right when it happened. However, after that hour, hardly anyone remembers; only those with special powers, extra sensitivity, heightened perception, remembers that day. It is not unusual for those around you to not have discussed The Merging as they either do not remember, or it has become so common that they figure everyone that knows about it does know about it, and thus become pointless to discuss, or have never thought to bring up the topic." 

"Yeah, I really don't know if the others remember. Barry, yes, but it's likely buried so deep that he would have difficulty remembering it. Then again, he has difficulty remembering what he does each morning before work." Hartley smiled fondly thinking about his partner. If it weren't for all their text messages, he'd be missing his speedster a great deal. Well, he still does miss Barry but the messages help him to cope. 

"The Merging," Bruce continued, "has made some huge impacts on our Earth 1. Some areas received massive changes, others not so much, and there are some that don't seem to have changed at all. Gotham, for example, has aged ten years. All those that were in Gotham at the time of The Merging has experienced a full ten years of life during that single hour. Yet, somehow, we don't feel confused with the calendar. Most citizens have not noticed that Gotham time-jumped; a few of us have. I have the memories of living those ten years but have no doubt in my mind that it is now 2018, and I last saw you in 2016. It has been two years since you were last here, but for me, it has been twelve years since I last saw you. It is ... confusing at best, to try and explain." 

"You think?" Hartley grinned and shook his head. "In Central, things appear to be the same. There was no time-jump that I'm aware of, nor any alterations to the time-line. But then, I was pretty out of it for a long time, out of the loop. There likely have been changes that I hadn't noticed yet as they don't directly affect me." 

"Only Gotham has experienced the time-jump. I've been monitoring other cities since The Merging. The only other cities that appear to have drastic changes are Metropolis and National City. Previously, they were small towns, villages really, but with The Merging, they became full-fledged cities that have been thriving for years. It is the Earth 38 cities that merged with Earth 1. Superman, Supergirl, Daily Planet, CatCo Worldwide Media, DEO, they are what we refer to as the Earth 38 crew as they all came from there. To most people, they have always been here. Only those who know of, and remember, The Merging know otherwise." 

"How is Gotham's situation different from 38?" Hartley asked. "They all time-jumped in some form, right?" 

Bruce smiled. "Gotham is still the Earth 1 Gotham. I am the very same Bruce that was your partner when you were here. Other Gothams have merged over from the dozen Earths, all in various stages of growth. It is our Gotham that proved the most advanced and powerful; the other Gothams merged into us, and in doing so, they added their experiences to us. Many citizens appear the same, only ten years older. Many buildings have changed as well. GCPD has advanced in a positive way; the diner next door to it has fallen. Even though this is the same Gotham, it is far different from the Gotham you once knew." 

"It's like visiting a city after a ten year absence, twelve actually, for you, but only two for me." Hartley stretched as he collected his thoughts. "We got Earth 38 because they were the most powerful. I imagine you have a list of the Earths that merged with us?" 

"Indeed, I do," Bruce confirmed. "Only a dozen Earths merged with Earth 1 and majority of them were insignificant, not very far advanced. The more notable ones, Earth 2, 3, 19, 47, they are still their own Earths, have not joined in The Merging. Only Earth 38 was the most powerful one that merged with us." 

"Why only a select few? Why not the other more significant Earths?" 

"Details surrounding The Merging are not fully clear," Bruce explained. "I've been studying The Merging all these years, all the changes, but specific details as to why the event occurred is still a mystery. The other significant Earths were likely too powerful to merge, or the other Earths were just too weak to prevent a merging. That does not explain how 38 joined us. I've been studying the exact day in question, leading up to The Merging Hour, but have not discovered anything out of the ordinary. Before you ask, yes, I have checked in on Central City as your Flash is the one capable of altering Time; it was not far-fetched to believe he had access to parallel Earths as well. In fact, it was while researching Flash that I became aware of other Earths as he has travelled to 2, 3, and 38 before The Merging, and has had visitors from 19 and 47. The only conclusion I came to, thus far, is that whatever caused The Merging, may have occurred on one of those other Earths." 

"Earth 38, the only significant Earth that merged. Have you checked in with them?" Despite asking questions regarding The Merging, Hartley's mind was somewhere else completely. Something Bruce had said, altering time, quite likely time travel, stirred some long-forgotten memory, but he had no idea what. He knew part of Barry's repertoire was time travel but he cannot think of a single time when it affected him, personally; yet, something in his gut is trying to remind him of something. 

"I have spoken with Clark but he seems as baffled as I am. We get together once a month to discuss any of our latest findings but we are no more further ahead than we were when we first met shortly after The Merging. Well, technically, we've known each other all our lives, I have faint memories of our past, but he understands that when I approached him about the event, that was my first time meeting him." 

Shaking himself out of his own thoughts, Hartley had to grin at Bruce's latest comments, hearing the sigh in that tone. "One Vigilante, one Superhero, burdened by their own sense of duty, protecting their respective cities. I can only imagine how difficult it is to do your own research into The Merging, never finding the time to properly dig into the event." 

"You have no idea," Bruce growled lightly, and Hartley felt more settled into the new Gotham. He had been worried his friend would have changed far too much, may not even be the same Bruce he once knew, but thankfully, this truly was the same Bruce, his Bruce from back then. 

Another thought came to mind. "Floyd hasn't changed." 

Bruce chuckled as he explained. "Floyd wasn't in Gotham during the hour of The Merging. He was out on assignment, elsewhere, tracking someone. In fact, he was two days late getting back, which saved him from the time-jump. He certainly noticed all the changes when he came back though, his target in tow. He basically flipped me off, claiming I became too much of an old geezer." 

"And yet he remains." Hartley laughed, grateful that the Gotham Hunter was doing quite well. 

Bruce snorted. "Only because he is intent on leeching me dry of all my money. If it weren't for the fact he was too damn good at his job, I would have kicked him out years ago." 

"Not that it would have done you any good. Floyd is the one guy that refuses to cease being a thorn in anyone's side. Plus, he knows all the entry points to the Manor, including all the secret ones." 

"Including all the ones I put in myself that I never told ol' Brucie about." 

So absorbed he was in his conversation, Hartley nearly jumped at the deadly tone in his ear, a strong arm wrapping across his chest, pinning him against the couch cushions. He relaxed as his captor clamped his teeth over the top part of his ear. 

"Any progress?" Bruce asked, purposely ignoring the other's quip about his age. 

"Mmm," Floyd continued nibbling for a few moments before he hopped over the back of the couch to settle down next to Hartley. "Nothing. Thought I had a lead down South but it proved a dead end. Similar, but not our guy." 

"Oh?" Despite the roaming hands while Floyd spoke, Hartley's interest piqued. 

Bruce noticed and explained. "Victor is missing. Went out on assignment two weeks ago, was due back three days ago but we haven't heard anything." 

Floyd growled. "Vic is a stickler for communication. He never misses a check-in. I don't like this." 

Hartley shuddered, and it wasn't due to the cool air now on his naked member. 

Victor Zsasz, a rogue Bounty Hunter, has been pulling more jobs for Bruce Wayne these days, often partnering up with Floyd Lawton. Hartley first met him during his first visit to Gotham, and gained an immediate liking and trust toward the Hunter. He can understand Floyd's uneasiness toward the missing Hunter. Victor was a professional, the best damn Hunter in the entire country, and he always followed his own rules to the letter, never straying or crossing his lines. If Victor says he will contact you at a specific time on a specific day, he would never be a single second late or early. 

Whatever is preventing the delay cannot be good. 

Bruce stood up, and Hartley noticed that Alfred had entered the Library, waiting by the door. 

"Right, then. I'm meeting with one of the members tonight, see if he has any leads. I will contact you if I require assistance." 

"Understood, boss," Floyd replied as Bruce headed out of the Library, Alfred in tow. 

Soon as they left, Floyd turned on him completely and began clawing at his shirts. "Gods, why must you always wear too many clothes?!" 

"Uh ... " Hartley blinked but was prevented from answering as the Hunter straddled him and made quick work of his sweater and shirts. Buttons popped as Floyd roughly pulled them up over Hart's head. His arms were still caught in the sleeves when Floyd pressed their lips together, kissing him possessively. 

"Mmm, still tasty after all this time," Floyd commented after a few minutes, licking his own lips in emphasis. 

"You just had a taste this morning," Hartley growled, catching his breath. His failed attempt to push the Hunter off of him resulted in the sleeves twisting and tightening their hold on his arms. Floyd laughed in his annoyingly evil way. 

"Emphasis on _taste_ , young padawan. Remember, you kicked me off before I could really do anything." 

He gasped as Floyd gripped him, squeezing his balls tight. "You had an assignment, a time sensitive one if I recall." He glared up at the asshole. 

"Meh, details. I always get my jobs done when I feel the time is right. Right now, the only task I have is to see how quickly I can get you fully hard." 

Which proved to be not all that long as Hartley was still feeling a bit sensitive from the Healing. Within two minutes, he was gasping as Floyd brought him to the edge, then backed off. It was a few moments before Hartley realised the other had stopped. 

"Wha ... " 

Floyd grinned and leaned forward, licked and nipped his bottom lip, before responding. "Thinking I'll play with you some, get some of my edge off. I'm a stressed out guy after all." 

Hartley rolled his eyes despite the truth in those words. He could sense the tension, feel Floyd's uneasiness. The Hunter was worried about Victor, as was Hartley himself. However, why Floyd always chose him to help relieve his stress, Hartley will never know. Well, maybe he does know, but it doesn't mean he has to approve of this molestation. Well, maybe he does, since he lets the Hunter have his way with him. Likely because he trusts Floyd so damn much; the other having proven himself to take care of Hartley countless times. Plus, his hands felt so good, so warm, so protective. His mouth was just as devilish with action as it was with words. Perhaps he'll just stop thinking for awhile. 

Especially since that treacherous mouth engulfed him whole, eliciting quite the moan at the dampness, bringing him back to the edge again, and again, and he soon lost count. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Is he okay?" Ray asked, unable to look away. 

"Yes." 

"No, really, seriously okay?" He didn't think the Hunter understood what he meant. 

"Yes." 

Ray sighed and waved a hand in the direction of the pair within the Library. "I mean, look at him. How can he possibly be okay? With THAT?!" 

Kyle watched for a few moments and returned his gaze to Ray. "Very much so." 

"Argh! Aren't you supposed to be looking out for him? Isn't that your job?" Ray spun, intending to interrupt but Kyle placed a hand on his arm, pulling him aside. 

"Hart is the one in control there," the Hunter informed him. "He is in no danger." 

"But ... he ... LOOK at him! How the hell is he in control?!" Ray was furious. He never liked seeing any of his friends in a helpless situation. After what he saw on the Jet, he was quickly disliking the pesky Hunter even more. 

"Ray, listen to me." 

That tone caught his attention, brought his attention to the flickering smoky eyes. That was new; Ray had never seen anyone with flickering eyes before, aside from Barry and Hartley. He thought he saw a flicker while on the Jet, but Ray figured it was due to the lighting. 

"Sit." 

Ray dutifully sat down on the padded bench across from the Library where he could still see the occupants within, if he leaned over to the right a tad. 

"Kyle, I don't see what possible explanation you can come up with that will convince me that Hartley is okay with another guy molesting him. As I stated earlier, Hart already has a partner!" 

Kyle sat down next to him, in clear view of the pair. It was a few moments before the Hunter's words came forth. 

"It is Hart's nature to let the enemy believe they have the upper hand. Once they get assured in their position, Hart strikes." 

True to his words, Ray heard the thumps, and as he leaned over to see better, he winced at how Hartley had positioned himself on top of the Hunter, where his foot had stomped down. 

"I ... see." Ray swallowed the lump in his throat, felt a sympathetic pain in his own balls. 

"Ray, you need not fear Floyd," Kyle continued. "As I previously mentioned, Floyd is the one guy in all of Gotham that Hart trusts the most." 

"Uh, yeah, sure," Ray was still not convinced especially since Hartley had produced a dagger from somewhere and had it pressed against the Hunter's throat. He was too far away to hear what his friend was saying. 

Kyle laughed lightly which brought his attention back to the Central Hunter; for majority of the flight, and since arrival, Ray had not heard him laugh, or smile, or anything really. Kyle had remained cool and collected during the flight, barely even blinked, hadn't even slept. It was only during those last few minutes of the flight that Kyle had shown any kind of emotion. Like he's doing now. 

"What do you know of Hart's prior visit?" Kyle asked him. 

"Uh, not much," Ray admitted. "He came out here for a year, got in some extra studying and training, came home with new tech. I know he was here at the Manor. That's really about it." 

"You are trustworthy," Kyle revealed as the flickering intensified. Ray knew what the flickering meant in Barry and Hartley; he had the feeling that Kyle was about to impart upon him some very deep knowledge that nobody outside their circle knows, maybe even that story the Hunter promised to tell him later. 

"Floyd was the one that found Hart, rescued him from the streets of Gotham. Hart was running scared back then, ran away from Central. The official reason he gave people in Central was some new courses that opened up about new tech; which was true, and he did learn about the new tech. However, and very few people know this, but he ran away. It was shortly after a bad incident at the CCPD where two fellow officers beat and raped him. Hart is no stranger to abuse and the resulting trauma. To have been brutalised in a place of safety, Hart felt that no place was safe, that there was something wrong with him. He ran away to a place where he believed he belong. Hart sentenced himself to death. 

"Floyd found him, took him home, took care of him. Floyd brought Hart here to the Manor once he had recovered enough. Once Hart's past was revealed, Floyd and Alfred took it upon themselves to train him. Make sure he can better defend himself. Bruce helped out quite a bit and the two of them often went out on missions together." 

"You seem to know so much, yet you've only been with Hartley a few months," Ray commented. "I take it that as a Hunter you do a lot of research?" 

Kyle nodded. "Yes, very much so. A Hunter needs to know as much as he can about his target in order to perform a successful capture." 

"Hmm," Ray thought that over for a moment. "Makes sense. Information is always a good thing provided it's useful to your needs. After all, too much information about puppies can be distracting when you're supposed to be researching the latest Bomb Meta; not unless it's a canine Meta Beast that happens to have an explosive personality, of course." 

"For one who resides half a country away, you certainly know the going-ons within Central." Kyle beamed at him and Ray couldn't help but blush. 

"Of course. Some of our closest friends are in Central. I like to keep in touch in case they need assistance. Although, lately, it's been mostly swapping new Tea recipes." Ray smiled at a memory of a particular Mint Honey flavour with a dash of cinnamon on top that always seem to form a lightning bolt. He still had no idea how the cinnamon does that, and it was only the special batch from his friends that did that. No regular store-bought cinnamon would do that. 

"Not all Hunter jobs are captures though," Ray observed, getting back on topic. 

"No, they are not," Kyle confirmed. "Contracts come in many variety. Each Hunter has those types they favour, they excel at, will always seek out. The Hunter Board lists our strengths along with which contracts we chose off the Board. Our history. Clients seek out those Hunters that best suit their needs. Of course, there are those Hunters who take on whatever job they can get, no matter the ranking, from Novice to Super Class High Priority. Some Hunters take all jobs because they feel they have to, others because they are properly skilled enough to do so. 

"Contracts can be as simple as a Security Guard position. A one-week job, protecting some well-known individual during a conference or travel. The most common jobs are for a hired hitman and actual bounty hunter. The first one seeks out the target and eliminates him, deliver proof, collect payment. The latter one is to seek out the target and deliver the target to the client; alive or dead, depends on the contract. The more uncommon contract is that of a rescue. Victor, Floyd and myself excel in all types of contracts but nobody ranks higher than us in rescue operations." 

Ray nodded, understanding. "When you got back to Central, Leonard hit you up with a rescue contract. That's how you got Hartley back." 

"Yes. That contract has led into a bodyguard position, and now a permanent security position." 

Ray puzzled over that. "I thought Hunters were more free, go where the contracts tell them to." 

"Hunters take on contracts in hopes of raising their value. The more experience they gain, the higher their ranking goes, the better their chances at obtaining the specialty jobs. It is the ultimate goal of all Hunters to gain permanent employment with one individual or organisation. Most seek out the wealthy, the most well-known in the business world, the most well-known in the criminal world, royalty, and many others." 

"And then there are those that don't seek out wealth, fame, glory," Ray grinned. "How in the world did you end up with Leonard Snart?" 

"Very easily," Kyle beamed again. "I have known Leonard for years, done many jobs for him. He is fair and lets me do my work. He never orders me, telling me how to do my job. We communicated often, passing information along. We were more like partners rather than Client - Hunter. Even when he was still with Lewis, I never turned down any of Leonard's requests. I even took on a few of Mick's requests as well, most notably the time when Mick was worried about Leonard, the pyro was half a country away at the time, and my job was to check in on Leonard for him. Turned out, Mick had a right to be worried as Lewis thought to use his son as a bargaining chip in a deal that went south. Bloody bastard was more worried about saving his own hide, letting his son rot in their captivity. I never once took on any of Lewis' requests, always claimed I was on another job, and I always was. 

"Now, Lewis is dead, the world is a better place. Soon as I got back to Central a few months ago, I checked in with Leonard, wanted to see how he was doing. Didn't even get past Hello when he started barking orders at me. He was more pissed than usual but I got all the necessary information. I had met Hart a few times over the years, on previous jobs for Leonard. Always been a good kid, too good for our world. I always kept an eye on him whenever I was around. Now, I have the opportunity to keep my eye on him as much as I want." 

"In a permanent bodyguard position, under contract to Leonard Snart," Ray awed at the Hunter's dedication. "This is not a position to increase your Hunter ranking, but more for personal reasons. I can't imagine a Hunter having personal reasons that are not of selfish greed." 

"Oh, but I am selfish," Kyle grinned. "I love my position, my job. I have more freedom now than I ever did before. Plus, I get to watch that good-hearted youngster sleep at night. Nothing pleases me more than seeing Hart go through a few hours of blissful peace." 

"How can one have freedom in a permanent position?" Ray felt baffled by that comment. 

"It is true that a wandering Hunter has the freedom of which contracts they pick up, in whichever city they choose. However, soon as a contract is claimed, they are bound by the rules of the client, abiding by their orders. If a Hunter ignores the client, or talks back to them, or disobeys any particular order, it is notated on the Hunter Board and the Hunter's reputation goes down. Most Hunters in permanent positions are indeed bound by stricter rules, with even less freedom." 

"You are different," Ray nodded, beginning to understand. 

"Yes. I go where I want, do what I want, so long as my primary objective is not compromised. My current role is Head of Security; it is my duty to see to the safety of my charge, Hartley, and whomever else I deem necessary. It is ultimately up to me who Hart is safe around. I research all those he interacts with on a daily basis. I know which ones are perfectly capable of taking care of Hart; when he is with those people, I spend that time in doing more research and checking in with my Hunter brothers, gaining information that will assist me in my duties. I have always been fond of the research and information gathering of any job. Knowledge keeps my friends safe." 

"As long as Hartley is taken care of, Leonard allows you to do whatever you want, so long as you're on hand in case he needs you for something." 

"Exactly," Kyle said. "Floyd is also a Hunter with a permanent position and the same amount of freedom as I do. Wayne Enterprises employs him as Bruce Wayne's personal bodyguard. Any event, function, fundraiser Bruce is required to attend, Floyd is always right there with him, watching his back. Little do people know of Floyd's real purpose at those gatherings." Kyle chuckled lightly. 

"I imagine Floyd does more night-roaming than what a mere bodyguard allows," Ray smiled, knowing all too well about those living a double life. 

"Yes, he most certainly does. I may be higher in rank than Floyd but he far exceeds my talents for intel. Plus, his special unique skill is to keep predators away. He has rescued Bruce on many occasions at those events. For as long as we are here, Floyd is making a clear point that Hartley is also off-limits." 

That brought another string of thoughts to mind. "To be this close to one another, I imagine they engaged in activities back then? Wouldn't that have been a little too difficult for Hartley to handle, based on what happened previously?" 

Kyle smiled, eyes still flickering. "Believe it or not but Floyd was actually quite the saint back then. He never laid a single finger on Hart aside from carrying him from the alley to his home, and again to tend to the injuries. It was actually Bruce that got past the mental barriers, helped him get past the ordeal, and comforted him. They were out on a scouting mission one night when they had to hurry off before they were spotted. In tight quarters, a crevice in a wall as their targets walked by, well, it's not really my story to share but I will say that it was another two days before their targets were dealt with, and Alfred complained the whole time doing laundry, especially when cleaning the leather suit." 

Kyle laughed lightly for a moment before continuing. "It wasn't until nine months after the Particle Accelerator exploded that Hart became more positive, optimistic, hopeful. It was like a switch was flipped in his brain. Shortly afterward, Floyd stepped up the training devoted to sensing those around you. Hart increased his abilities far more rapidly than he did previous; a bright heart makes for excellent growth. Floyd pounced him from all angles, at all times, during various situations. Hart's hearing increased, able to pick out any movement. His reflexes increased, able to slam Floyd down without a thought. It was during this training that Floyd started getting frisky. Hart allowed it as it was also a different kind of defence training, learning about the unique ways enemies can catch their target unawares. You wouldn't imagine the number of captures in this country resulting from a well-placed blow to the genitals, or even frisky hands, or even plain ordinary seduction. Many targets have frozen when their captors began fondling them, allowing themselves to be abducted. Most end up killed. 

"Not Hart though. He knows how to move away, get out of any hold, gain the upper hand. A hand on his crotch is not enough to render him useless; not unless it's a hand he wants there, then he allows all conscious thought to fly out the window. I have made certain his sub-conscious functions during those times as the last thing I need is for my charge to get himself stabbed while his partner has his dick buried in Hart's ass. I've also been keeping an eye on Barry, making sure his reflexes and awareness are not hindered during such times." 

Ray sighed in relief. "That's good. I'd hate for either one of them to become helpless during such times. I'm still not certain about Floyd, though. He seems different, unique ... " 

"A self-proclaimed conceited asshole?" Kyle supplied the very words that Ray hadn't dared uttered, lest he be rude. 

"Yeah, something like that," Ray flushed. He really didn't like saying bad things about people who appear to be nice. He really didn't like saying bad things about people, period. "I still don't understand how Floyd can be trusted. You said on the Jet that you guys grew up together, trained together, worked together, but his attitude is beyond belief. He's way more arrogant and cocky than anyone I have ever met before." 

"You are talented to pick up on that," Kyle observed, clearly pleased. "Floyd is not one to let his true self be known. His arrogance, cockiness, assness, protects him so he may better protect his friends." 

"Never let potential enemies know what you are truly capable of," Ray realised, fully understanding. "Nobody would believe just how intelligent and skilled Floyd really is; all they see is an idiot who doesn't appear to amount to much. A worthless git. They end up dismissing him altogether. You guys are the fortunate ones to see his real self, Hartley included." 

Kyle nodded. "It is the same with myself and Victor. To the outside world, we are nothing but ruthless killers. Nobody outside our circle know my fascination for cute critters, Victor's fondness for silk bedsheets, Floyd's addiction to bubble baths. Me and Victor often keep silent while on duty. What people don't realise is how much information we take in simply by observing. Our ability to obtain and retain vast amounts of data in a short amount of time is top notch in the country; only one guy exceeds all three of us, who's back we have vowed to constantly watch." 

Ray definitely had to agree with that last statement as his latest peek into the Library revealed Floyd following that vow; watching Hartley's back while buried deep inside him. "Uh-huh," was all he had to say. 

"Come, let's give them some privacy," Kyle said as he stood up, eyes turning back to their normal grey. "Library quite safe." 

Ray winced as Hartley slammed a tazer into Floyd's side. Deciding that Kyle had an excellent idea, he stood up and followed the Hunter down the corridor. Trusting in the Hunter's words, Ray relaxed a bit. It seemed to be the consensus that Floyd Lawton was a jerk, an annoying pest, but they all trusted him to the fullest as Floyd had the right skills and the proper heart to take care of those the Gotham Hunter cared about most. 

\----------------------------------------------

Examining a piece of the Amber Star, Hartley felt the powers it contained, and shuddered. It felt far more dangerous than the other Stars they have discovered. 

"Think it'll be useful in my suit?" Ray asked, examining a piece of his own. 

"Uncertain," Hartley sighed. "Seems too wild, erratic. May be unsafe. For now, I suggest you stick with the other one, the blue with flickering purple. I can assure you that one is quite safe." Perfectly safe, in fact, as Hartley had recently experienced a sample that was jammed up his ass. His muscles still clenches at the memory. 

They had moved the two newest Dwarf Stars into an unused room two days ago; the quiet was beneficial to their concentration as they studied the Stars, plus it was not a room that the pesky Hunter can infiltrate easily. Hartley grinned at all the security measures he had personally set up in the room. 

Right now, that pesky Hunter was continuing his search for Victor, Alfred was seeing to dinner, Bruce was getting his gear together for the night, and he and Ray were poking around at two very fancy pieces of rock. 

"Think we can become billionaires if we made jewelry out of this stuff and sold it?" Ray grinned as he held up a small piece to his ear. 

Hartley laughed. "You're already a billionaire, they would and do look amazing as jewelry and various accents, and the Stars are far too dangerous to allow into the hands of the common populace." 

Ray snorted. "You're no fun ... wait ... what?" 

Hartley groaned and giggled at how flabbergasted his friend looked right then. "Sure, I've already made various pieces of ... ahh ... items out of the normal Star I have back home. Quite interesting, especially with how they glow when the wearer uses their powers. I'm very much looking forward to getting some of the blue-purple Star home so I can properly study its power output in various situations." 

Hartley could barely contain his laughter as Ray flushed. 

"I should have known better than to ask you anything," Ray growled and turned back to his own Star. Hartley made a point not to notice his friend's growing bulge. 

They worked in silence for another thirty minutes before Hartley spoke up again, while examining a four-link chain he created out of the Amber, "If there's ever anything you want to special-order, I'd be happy ... " 

"NO!" Ray nearly shouted in startlement as he dropped a sizable chunk on his foot. "Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow ... no, no. Nothing I need, perfectly fine, damn that hurts!" 

Hartley grinned, mentally coming up with ideas that he'll include with the next batch of tea supplies. Much to his satisfaction, Ray was purposely trying not to stare at the small chain he was dangling between his fingers. 

The rest of the week went fairly smooth for the most part; at the very least, there wasn't a single dull moment. 

Ray and Hartley continued tinkering with the Stars, Hartley gaining _invaluable intel_ regarding his tall tech-savvy friend in the process, and Ray repaired his suit with additions from the blue-purple Star. 

The search for Victor Zsasz continued, with Bruce and Floyd both heading out every night. Hartley had winced at hearing about one of their close informants having gotten hurt, and offered his assistance but they assured him that Grayson would be alright. 

Bruce also had one charity event that week that included two beautiful ladies attempting to catch his eye. Hartley was there to witness the two ladies snort in disgust and turn away as they had witnessed Floyd standing close behind Bruce and squeezed his ass. Hartley had to admit, Floyd certainly knew how to deter the ladies, and the three bachelors that were on the prowl. Bruce hadn't paid any attention to Floyd at all, instead focusing on the other important patrons of the event. That didn't seem to bother Floyd in the slightest as he was essentially there as a silent bodyguard. Hartley knew that if anything urgent came up, Floyd would be sure to let Bruce know. 

Nothing out of the ordinary happened at that event. Was pretty standard that included members of the GCPD spread around on security detail, one sniper that was dealt with by another vigilante watching the outside of the building, frisky hands in dark corners, Penguin making quite the entrance and exiting with bulging pockets. Quite the ordinary routine for an event in Gotham City. Hartley couldn't even find it within himself to be angry with Floyd as he tossed his torn pants into the garbage that night. After all, the Gotham Hunter had rescued him from multiple prowling eyes, although Hartley really didn't think that there were fifteen of them. He was just more pleased that Kyle had took up position watching Bruce's back when Floyd came prowling for him. 

Every night that week, Hartley fell asleep exhausted, grateful for the king-size bed he had to sprawl out on. Every morning that week, Hartley woke up annoyed as he kicked his Gotham Hunter out of bed. 

A very active week, full of knowledge, new tasks, new tea recipes, and new weapons that Alfred imparted upon him along with training. Nervous he may have been at first, at having to return to Gotham, Hartley now felt immensely pleased to have come out to see his friends. 

Now that it was late Saturday night, he was prepared to meet his missing friend. 

\----------------------------------------------

If anyone had ever told him that he'd be crawling through the drain pipes beneath Arkham Asylum in the middle of the night, he would have laughed and knock the idiot out. Which he did, and here he was; beneath Arkham Asylum, in the drain pipes, following some vigilante in black leathers. And feeling nauseated from the stench. He hoped Floyd was still nursing a very sore jaw. 

Pausing at the hand signal, Hartley settled down to wait. All things considered, there were far worse places he could be, like with that gang that held him captive for the better part of a year, or even being locked up in Arkham, which he really hoped wouldn't happen. Too many horror stories came through those walls, patients turning into monsters at the hands of Hugo Strange. He definitely didn't want that to happen to him, or to his friend that was being held captive. 

Another hand signal and he followed his vigilante friend down a new pipe. They must be getting close to their destination as they were crawling through these pipes for the better part of an hour. Hartley grimaced at having to destroy his clothing soon as they get back to the Manor; there was simply no way he was going to get all the slimy murkiness out of them. Thankfully, dark clothing, especially black, were very easy to come by. 

A few metres down the new pipe, he suddenly felt a weight plastered to his back. 

"Mmm, found you!" 

Hartley sighed, then grinned. "What're you doing here?" 

"Got bored, so here I am," Barry nipped him in the side of the neck and he couldn't help giggling. A nasty stare was shot his way from the front and he winced. 

Speaking softly, "As happy as I am that you're here, now is not the time." Hartley wiggled out from beneath his speedster and followed the vigilante. 

Barry hummed in agreement. "Yeah, not exactly a fancy hotel down here. Why are we here, anyway?" 

Another sharp stare caused Hartley to freeze and hunker down, as an idea had struck him. Naturally, Barry kept right on moving until he was above him again. Wiggling backwards, he shoved his speedster forward. 

"I'm here because I am, and you're here to pester me," Hartley replied. 

"Mmm, you really do like watching my backside," Barry giggled. "Who's the dark guy that we're following?" 

"Get closer and find out," Hartley challenged him, grinning all the while. 

"Sure!" Barry sped up a bit until he was practically on top of the vigilante. As expected, the other kicked back and landed a real nice shot to Barry's cheek, landing him on his back. "Guess he doesn't want to share pleasantries right now." 

Hartley giggled as he crawled up to his friend. "Yeah, he's not exactly a nice guy." Leaning down, he kissed his partner then crawled over him to continue following his other friend. 

After a few minutes of silence, a hand signal caused them to stop. 

"Want me to scout up above?" Barry whispered in his ear. 

Hartley shook his head. "No, he has it. He knows exactly where we are and our destination." 

Exactly two minutes later, the dark vigilante held up a glove with three fingers and continued onwards. 

"Talkative, ain't he?" Barry commented and moved ahead. 

When they reached where his friend was, Hartley halted Barry. "We go up here. Guard returns three minutes from when Bats gave the signal." 

"So he does have a name," Barry mused. "Weird one, though. Why Bats? He crazy or something?" 

Climbing the metal ladder, Hartley glanced down at his friend. "This is Gotham, remember? Well, technically, we're in Arkham and this is where all the really dangerous crazies are located." 

Setting two charges, he headed back down the ladder. Even though the explosions were small, they were enough to disengage the locks and loosen the cover to be moved aside. 

"Hurry up," Hartley hissed quietly, as he clambered out into the open air. Once Barry climbed out, they settled the cover back into place and dashed toward the building. 

"One sec while I get this door opened." He began to root around one of his pouches for his lock-picking tools but Barry beat him to it. Well, more accurately, Barry phased his hand through the door and disengaged the lock. 

"Easy, quiet, no damage," Barry grinned and hauled the door open. Once they got inside, Barry halted him. "Wait here." 

Annoyed at the alterations to the plans, Hartley felt much better at having his speedster there with him. 

Five seconds later, Barry zipped back, and it was only then that Hartley realised that Barry was wearing a Flash suit in dark colours. "When did you get a dark suit?" 

Barry blinked then looked down at himself. "Oh! It was tucked away in my closet in case I ever needed it. Guess I needed it." Barry giggled then continued, "Four guards down the right, three down the left, a wall of nothingness straight ahead." 

Exactly what the plans had outlined. "Good, we're going right." Reaching into another pouch, he pulled out the four injection needles and handed them to Barry. "These'll put them to sleep for thirty minutes. With you here, we'll be gone long before then." 

"On it!" Barry zipped away and came back four seconds later. "Out like a burnt lightbulb. Now what?" 

"Now we go right," Hartley replied. "Stay close and stay quiet until we get to where we're going." 

Barry nodded and stayed very close. If it had been anyone else, Hartley would have felt very uncomfortable with the complete lack of personal space. However, this was Barry, and he was long used to his partner melding into his back as they moved. 

Heading down the right corridor, Hartley turned the corner, and made one more turn before stopping at a door. He glanced back at Barry who grinned at him. 

He blinked in startlement as Barry phased both of them through the door. "Dont ... do that ... without warning!" he gasped out, catching his breath. He had never been phased before. 

"You said to keep quiet," Barry protested. 

"Yeah, I know, but you could have just unlocked the door?" Hartley grinned, unable to be angry. 

"Oh, fine, maybe next time I'll let you stand there for ten minutes trying to pick ... pick ... what the hell are you doing here?!" 

Turning to see what Barry was so shocked about, Hartley immediately understood. 

"Barry ... " 

"Now I see why we're here! How the hell did he end up here, anyway? Shouldn't you be looking out for the guy?" Barry growled at him and approached the other. 

"Barry, that's not Kyle," Hartley began to explain but Barry interrupted. 

"In a place like this?! Likely mutated by now. Honestly, can't you keep an eye on one guy?" Barry phased off all the locks and removed the various cuffs. He was rewarded with a thump to the head. "Owwww .... " 

Hartley sighed then ignored his partner. "You okay, Vic? Need anything here before we go?" 

"Who's the dweeb?" Victor asked as he rotated his shoulder muscles and flexed his arms to get the circulation going again. 

"My dweeb from Central," Hartley grinned and turned back to the door, hauling out his lockpicks. Within moments he had the door open and snorted. "Fifteen seconds, not ten minutes." 

Barry whistled. "You really DO know what you're doing." 

"'Course I do," Hartley smiled fondly as he put his tools away. "Now, we head out the front door." 

Barry froze. "Seriously?! There are guards out there. With guns! Scary guns with the sole purpose to take out mutants! Monsters! Crazy people!!!" 

"Yes, your point?" 

"Did I mention Scary Guns???" Barry whined. "They're nothing like what we see in Central. I know, I studied each of the ones those four guards had on them. They have shock bullets. Like a tazer!" 

"Huh," Hartley paused at that. "Shock bullets are new, they were not mentioned in the plans at all. Can you ... " 

Barry zipped out and back again with one of the new guns. 

Retrieving the gun, Hartley looked it over. Looked ordinary but with a double trigger on a single-barrel gun. Slightly longer than the standard CCPD revolvers. He handed it over to Victor who then studied it in great detail. 

Victor nodded and grinned. "Top trigger sets the charge, bottom trigger releases the charged bullet. Very nice!" 

"Are you sure you're not Kyle?" Barry asked and Hartley fully understood why, especially with the way Victor spoke and the fascination with guns. 

"Barry, this is Victor, not Kyle. You're only confused because they look, sound, and act so much alike. Any idea why?" 

"Hmm," Barry thought for a moment. "Well, considering this is Gotham / Arkham, you must be a clone!" Victor thumped him on the head again. "Ow! Geeze, what was that for?" 

Hartley giggled. "Honestly, as bright as you are, you're really the densest person I know." 

"Guard!" Barry zipped out and back again. "He's asleep. And I'm not dense! I'm just not too knowledgeable about our current situation. That's why you're here." 

"Exactly, so you keep putting the lovely guards to sleep while Victor and I make our escape. Clear?" 

Barry grinned. "Crystal! Dash in three." He zipped out again. 

Hartley counted three seconds then dashed out of the room with Victor at his heels. Passing by a few more sleeping guards, they reached the main entrance within moments. Glancing back, he watched as Victor pocketed three more of the shock guns. Barry zipped back to them. 

"Five on the outside, all asleep," Barry reported. 

"Good, did you trip any alarms?" Hartley looked through the window and didn't see any immediate threat. 

"Uh ... " 

Hartley sighed. "Okay, out we go and expect a lot of bloodshed." 

Barry paled and Hartley patted him soothingly. 

Exiting the building, Hartley strolled out casually, Victor with one of the shock guns raised, and Barry remained frozen at the door. As expected, he heard several guns pointed their way. 

Also as expected, those guns fired. 

Also as expected, Victor took out three of the shooters while some mystery sniper took out the final four. 

"Go," he told the Hunter who nodded and dashed off to the right, quickly disappearing into the night. Turning back to the building, he called out, "You coming?" 

"Who ... what ... how ... " Barry stammered as he approached slowly. 

"Later," Hartley told him. "See that cluster of trees straight ahead? And the two with adjoining branches?" Barry nodded. "We're headed over there." 

"Sure," Barry replied and whisked them both over there. 

A second after regaining his balance, Hartley heard the sound of thunks, and turned to find Barry neatly tied to a tree, covered in wires attached to claw-like grips that had thunked into the tree. A perfect capture. 

He didn't know whether to sigh or giggle as he found himself plastered to another tree but only under the restraints of strong limbs. 

"Who said you could bring a friend, li'l mouse?" His assailant pressed his forehead to his own, those grey eyes peering into his green. Giggling won out over sighing. 

"He kinda showed up on his ownnngh," Hartley gasped out as the other made quick work of his button and zipper, then gripped him hard. 

"Hmm, not sure I like changes to my plans. Especially since you appeared thirteen minutes ahead of schedule. Whatever shall we do with those thirteen minutes, hmm?" 

Grunting noises appeared from the other tree and Hartley heard the unsuccessful wiggling. 

"Oh, hush," Floyd told Barry. "Be a good boy and I'll let you down in ... " he looked at his watch, " ... in ten minutes." 

"Floyd, shouldn't we get baaaack!!" Somehow, getting back was not on his Gotham Hunter's mind as the other stroked him to full hardness. 

"Mmm, still can't believe you can feel my fingers again. I had worried when I heard the news. Okay, sure, you felt every inch of me two years ago but it certainly wasn't the same when I gave you the message. But now? You're just as hot as you were back then, maybe hotter." 

"You _just_ assaulted me a few hours ago, and this morning, and yesterday, and the day before that ... " 

Floyd shut him up by leaning back in and kissed him, that annoyingly long and deep kiss that always made his balance falter. Add in the orgasm that was about to hit, Hartley groaned as he knew his body was about to turn into complete mush. He silently cursed his adversary as the orgasm struck. Floyd didn't pull out of the kiss until he could barely stand. 

"Fuck you," he cursed out loud, gripping Floyd's arm to keep his balance. Floyd, in turn, chuckled and pulled him in close, helping him to stay upright. 

"Nah, thank you though, but I fully intend to fuck you tonight." 

Hartley sighed then giggled. "Think you're up for it? Won't you be busy with Vic tonight?" 

Floyd froze then glanced at his watch. "CRAP! Seriously?! What the hell am I hanging around here for?" 

Hartley floundered as Floyd pushed him toward Barry's tree. 

"You have your vibroblade?" Floyd asked while collecting his sniper and bag. Hartley voiced his confirmation as he fixed up his pants. "Good, that'll cut through those wires. See you back at the Manor!" 

With a final kiss, Floyd dashed off in the direction that Victor had gone. Within moments, Hartley lost sight of his Hunter. 

Leaning against the tree, Hartley grinned at what the two Hunters would be up to that night. Damn good thing, too, as he really needed a break from Floyd. Now that they got Victor back, Hartley planned on having a good night's sleep for a change. 

Muffled noises from next to him made him groan, as he realised that he really wasn't going to get that much-needed sleep. 

Still, he couldn't be angry with his speedster. Not really. Well ... "Damnit, Barry, I finally get the one chance at a good night's sleep and you just had to complicate things. I've a good mind to leave you here." 

"Mmmfffh???" 

"Still," Hartley grinned as he hauled out his vibroblade, "you do look pretty good tied to a tree, unable to phase." Barry rolled his eyes and Hartley laughed. 

"Okay, fine, but you owe me." He cut the wires one-by-one until he was completely encased in limbs. 

"That's your Gotham dick?!" Barry asked incredously. 

Hartley giggled, recalling their conversation before he came to Gotham. "Yes. Floyd Lawton, Gotham's Bounty Hunter, ranked 3rd in the country." 

Barry snorted. "3rd?! No wonder he's a real dick. Just who the hell holds the top spot? I know Kyle is 2nd." 

Hartley melted into Barry's embrace, feeling his warmth. He hadn't realised just how much he missed his partner until Barry showed up beneath the Asylum. 

"Mmm, top spot belongs to Victor Zsasz, a rogue Hunter with no allegiance. He goes wherever he feels like it, although, he tends to stick around Gotham more often as of late. His success rate is 99%." 

Barry whistled. "Why not 100%?" 

Hartley giggled at the memory. "He cancelled a job in favour of fucking his target." 

"Huh?" Barry blinked in confusion and Hartley didn't feel like elaborating. Instead, he turned his head and kissed his dark-attired Flash. 

"We should get back to the Manor," Hartley told him after a few minutes of blissful kissing and fondling. 

"Mmm, what Manor?" Barry was naturally clueless after a bit of friskiness. 

"Honestly," Hartley giggled as he readjusted his pants, again. Reaching into a pocket, he hauled out a map with coloured lines. He pointed to the adjoined-tree marker. "We're here." He trailed his finger along a blue line toward a Bat marker. "Zip along the blue and stop at the Bat." 

"Why a Bat? Why not a pony? A unicorn? How about a dragon?" Barry stepped back to readjust himself. 

Hartley sighed in exasperation then braced himself. A moment later he was whisked away to the Manor. 

Barry whistled again. "Fancy! Who lives here? This is where you're staying?" 

"Yep," Hartley grinned and led him up to the massive doors where they were greeted by Alfred. 

Upon entering the Manor, Hartley smiled fondly as Barry gazed around, oohing and aahing at pretty much everything. Barry mentioned that he hadn't been in such a fancy place before. He ran his fingers lightly over the walls, the tables at various intervals along the walls, the fabric hangings; Barry even delighted in watching some ladybugs living in a potted plant that looked more like a small tree. Watching his partner marvel at everything like a little kid, always gave Hartley a special kind of pleasure he had never found anywhere else; a pleasure he found highly addicting. 

Leading his speedster into the Library, he felt that familiar gust of wind as his partner zipped around inspecting every inch of the room. Hartley was just settling himself at his worktable when Bruce came in. 

"Any complications?" 

Hartley shook his head. "No, went very smooth. Victor was exactly where he was expected to be. However, the guards had new shock guns." 

"Not part of the intel," Bruce said as he sat down. "You retrieved some?" 

"Victor has four of them," he confirmed. "I imagine he's going to study them further. Floyd's with him." 

"Good," Bruce smiled for a moment then became lost in thought. 

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Hartley asked. He hadn't been the only one with an agenda that night; his Gotham partner sought something as well but hadn't disclosed the details to Hart. 

"Yes and no," Bruce told him. "Retrieved what I needed but it's damaged beyond repair." He reached into a pocket and placed a circular object on the table. 

Hartley whistled. "Is that ... " 

"Indeed. A miniature holo-projector. It uses cubes rather than disks for its data." 

Confirming that it did use cubes, Hartley inspected the tiny cube and saw no sign of damage. Placing it back inside the holo-projector, he pressed the power switch but nothing happened. Popping open the underside panel, he winced at seeing the frayed wiring. 

"Wiring is bad but otherwise the device looks okay," Hartley commented as he secured the panel back in place. "I can certainly see if I can find matching wiring, or at least close enough to get the device working again. The data cube appear to be unharmed." 

A clatter of thuds snapped his head around and he immediately groaned at the sight. Inside the Library, there were these really tall bookcases, twenty feet at least, and they fit nicely in the room due to the extremely high ceilings. What caught his attention were the few books that had tumbled down from one of the higher shelves, and there was his Flash with one foot on the third highest shelf and his hands pressed against the side wall, a few feet in front of the case. 

Bruce arched an eyebrow at him. "Half-monkey?" 

"I'm beginning to wonder," Hartley sighed and turned back to Barry who was tapping at the wall. "Mind getting down from there?" 

"There's something hidden here," Barry called down, ignoring the suggestion. "Just need another inch ... " 

Hartley nearly panicked when Barry's foot slipped and he dangled from the wall itself. 

"I'm okay, okay, good. All okay here," Barry stammered as he caught his breath. "Damn, forgot I added sticky stuff to these gloves and the tips of my boots. I gotta add 'em to my main suit." 

"Good, I'm glad you're thinking about improvements but can you please just get down from there?" Hartley growled at him. "It's considered rude to be climbing all over the interior of another's home." 

"Discoveries!" Barry told him and went back to inspecting the wall. 

Hartley sighed, giving up. Whenever there was a mystery to be solved, Barry was determined to solve it. Glancing at Bruce, he saw both the amusement and stress in those eyes. He tried again. 

"Barry, as awesome as it is to discover hidden secrets, this is not our place. Everyone is entitled to ... " 

"Yeah, yeah, I know but this place is huge! I've already discovered four hidden passages and seven secret compartments holding boring documents. Right now, I just need to find this one hidden panel, then I can inspect the other three walls." 

Bruce paled at the information and Hartley snapped, "BARRY!", just as the speedster found the right spot, the right pressure points, and popped open the panel to reveal a safe with a fingerprint security device. Phasing his hand, Barry popped open the safe and whistled. 

"Daaaamn, now that's really fancy security work. I wonder if all those laser beams really slices off fingers ... " 

Hartley winced as Barry thudded to the floor, neatly wrapped in the kind of wire that his Gotham family like to use to capture their targets. Glancing at Bruce, he saw the smirk and the tension fading away from the other's eyes. 

Getting up, he wandered over to his fallen friend and lightly kicked him before crouching down. "See what happens when you go snooping around where you're not supposed to?" 

"Gaaah, who the bloody hell wired me?" Barry wiggled, unable to get free. He vibrated but that only tightened the wires. "The hell these things made of, anyway? They're nothing like the ones the Rogues used. Different material, different thickness, different tension; these are more flexible and grippy. No dampener in them." 

Hartley watched as his partner wiggled some more, then stopped wiggling, tried sliding to no avail, went back to wiggling, tried phasing, tried vibrating again ... "Gaaack!" He winced as the wires tightened around the crotch. 

"Too tight, too tight," Barry whined and Hartley leaned down to kiss him. 

"Mmm, as much as I'm enjoying watching you struggle, and gaining some valuable intel, I suppose I should release you, but you'll owe me." 

"Harrrrrrrrt ... " Barry whined again. 

Kissing him again, Hartley reached behind his speedster to grasp the device containing the wire. He pressed the button to release the tension, and flipped the switch to retract the wire. He then pocketed the bat-shaped wire device. 

"All better?" Hartley tapped his forehead to the other, grinning, and stood up. 

"I will be whenever I find out why there's a baseball card in that safe," Barry gazed up at the open safe, still lying on his back. "Wonder why that safe is so far out of reach and with the highest security I've seen so far here." 

Hartley groaned. "Barry, it's not our place to go searching through hidden panels. Whatever is up there, it's none of our business." 

"That there is the rookie card of the one who betrayed my father, the one player my father looked up to the most," the words came softly and quietly, filled with so much emotion that Hartley glanced over to his friend. "I won't reveal the name, nor tell the story, but he became famous for all the wrong reasons. He was killed during a criminal dealing that nobody knew about. His rookie card soared in value with his death. That particular card is unique, the only one containing his signature, his fingerprints, his DNA, and proof of his betrayal." 

By this time, Barry had sat up, cross-legged, intently listening to the words. "Why keep the card if you already know what happened? Why keep the bad memories?" 

"A reminder to always research who you have business dealings with, research those you allow into your life, research those you admire. A reminder to never put blind faith and trust into others." Bruce stood up and headed for the door. "I trust you'll straighten up the mess you made of my bookcases?" 

Hartley noticed the amused smile in that last comment, yet the sadness still remained in the dark eyes. 

"Got it," Barry replied as he stood up, turning toward the disheveled bookcases. There were lots of toppled books, and many more half-tipped over. Along with a few of those hidden compartments still open. 

"Get some sleep," Hartley informed the Gotham Knight. "We'll straighten up here and turn in ourselves." 

Bruce nodded and headed out. 

When he turned back around, all the bookcases along that wall were back in order again, all the secret compartments hidden away, and his special partner now sound asleep on the sofa where Hartley was sitting minutes ago. 

Smiling ever so fondly, Hartley gathered up a heavy blanket and brought it over to the sofa. Shedding majority of his own clothing, only leaving his undershirt and boxers, he laid down with Barry, pulling the blanket over them both. 

"All tired out, you had quite the busy day," he spoke softly as he lightly kissed his partner's shoulder. 

Snuggling in closer, he drifted off to sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

The following morning, Hartley woke in the usual position, beneath his speedster. Normally, he's not too comfortable with being moved while asleep, but when he awakes encased in his favourite limbs, he couldn't help but smile. Very few people were allowed to move him when he's not conscious; if one such mover is not on his list, then the world would be less one citizen. 

Glancing up at the clock, morning was really pushing it as it was nearly Noon. Makes sense as it was nearly 5:00 am when he drifted off to sleep. 

Shifting his gaze to the head on his shoulder, he woke up fully at seeing the tension in his sleeping partner's face. 

"Barry?" 

Hartley shifted to his back. He had long ago gotten used to moving around beneath his partner without knocking him off. Mainly because Barry caged him perfectly, only allowing just enough wiggle room to shift from front to back. Once settled, Hartley felt the limbs tighten but his friend remained asleep. 

His friend was also barely breathing, and perspiring heavily. Hartley only just noticed how damp his back was when he rolled over. Leaning up, he pressed his cheek to Barry's and winced at the heat; he was hotter than Mick's normal body temperature. 

"Barry," Hartley hissed in his ear, very worried as Barry never gets sick. Could something at the Asylum infected him? Considering there are a lot of mutated diseases out there, and within Gotham itself, that is a very likely possibility. 

He tried to wiggle his arms free but Barry's grip only tightened. His ankles and legs were just as secure. 

Barry nuzzled him while still asleep and Hartley went more on the alert. That nuzzle felt pained; his partner was hurting and not in the physical sense. The tension in the limbs, the sweat, the ragged breaths, it had all the markings of a bad dream. 

"I'm here, you're okay," Hartley spoke softly and returned the nuzzle. He managed to wiggle his ankles free and used them to capture one of Barry's, holding him. 

A puff of air on his neck and he realised Barry was trying to say something but no words were coming out; at least, not at a decibel he could hear. 

He felt an extra tiny weight and soon felt the sharp pain to his ribs receding. He hadn't realised Barry's elbow was digging in so deeply. Shifting his head slightly to peer over Barry's shoulder, Hartley saw his Mist with a hand on Barry's back, concentrating as wispy tendrils gently moved limbs into more comfortable positions. He felt Barry shudder and relax, the tension flowing out of him. 

"Barry?" Hartley tried again to wake his friend, not wanting to startle him. He reached up with a now free hand and cupped the side of the sleeping face, softly stroking his thumb along that cheek. 

"Mmm," Barry leaned into his touch which was a good sign; Barry always felt safe in Hartley's arms. "Don't go." 

Hartley blinked and wrapped his other arm around his partner. "I'm here, Barry. Not going anywhere." Whatever dream he was having began to worry Hartley even more. Barry doesn't normally have bad dreams, and to his knowledge, Barry never had one about Hart disappearing. 

"Leaving," Barry mumbled. 

Pulling him closer, Hartley spoke directly into his ear. "Nope, not leaving. Staying here, with you." 

"Gone ... everyone. Dark." 

Hartley's eyes snapped wide at that last word, his own body breaking into a sweat. "Barry!" 

"Don't leave me," Barry's voice trailed off and his body shuddered again. 

Gripping his friend with both arms, Hartley held on tightly. "Barry, I'm here, you're here. Whatever is happening, nothing will break us apart. Let me in." 

"Hurts," Barry shifted slightly and barely cracked open an eye. 

"Where?" Hartley whispered, very concerned at how pained that eye looked. 

"Trying ... " Barry's eye closed and he shuddered again. 

"Hold him up," Hartley told his Hunter as he pressed his hands to Barry's chest. He shifted himself upright as Kyle wrapped himself gently around Barry, letting some of his healing mist penetrate the skin. 

Peering inside, Hartley focused on the energy network and found nothing out of sorts; each line remained strong and intact, humming in its brilliant blue. Looking deeper, everything appeared to be good as well, no sign of any darkness. Physically, Barry was perfectly fine. 

Which left the mentality. 

His own heart ached; he never liked seeing his partner, his beloved, in such a dire state. Whatever was happening to Barry, Hartley was determined to find the cause and destroy it. 

Pulling back out, he looked up at Kyle. "Body's fine. Quite certain he's being plagued with nightmares." 

"Dark Force?" 

Hartley shrugged. "Uncertain. No sign in the main part of the body. I need to check his skull first and then ... " he hesitated. He knew what needed to be done but he was unsure if he could tap into that side of the Healing power. "I don't know what will happen ... " 

"I'm here," Kyle assured him. "I keep watch. You need a boost, I offer freely." 

Hartley felt pure warmth in those words, and felt Kyle's hand on his cheek. He blinked up into his Hunter's now smoky eyes, swirling with energy. 

"You got this. I'm here." 

Hartley swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling overwhelmed by his friend's burst of emotion that flowed into him. He closed his eyes and calmed his breathing, leaning into that palm, inhaling its scent, feeling the energies. 

"Hart ... " Barry groaned and Kyle pulled his hand back to hold the speedster securely. 

"I'm here, Barry. Going to get you fixed up now. In or out?" Hartley asked as he gathered up his own Healing energies and did a scan of the skull. 

"Deep," Barry informed him, which was what Hartley expected as his own scan confirmed. 

No dark patches anywhere within the skull, not the outer layer, nor anywhere deep inside. The pains were inside the mind itself, and terrifyingly deep. 

Concentrating, Hartley pulled in more energies, tapping into both Barry's and Kyle's resources. "Coming in, Barry. Stay with me." 

He couldn't be certain but Hartley thought he felt different. He knew how his own Healing energies felt, knew how he sparked green during such times, but this time, he felt a different spark, one he had only felt a hint of twice before. Concentrating on that spark, feeding it with the combined energies, he suddenly felt something shatter within him, like a barrier coming down. 

A second later, he felt the flood of emotions from four others within the room. Letting his senses roam, he identified the other two Hunters; one at the door, the other by the window, watching over them, seeing they were not disturbed. The other two sets of emotions belong to both Kyle and Barry. 

Taking a deep breath, Hartley focused his senses and the new energies, surging into Barry's mind, going where nobody had gone before. 

* * * *

Blinking, he looked down at himself, surrounded by a blue-green mist, with the blue sparking quite actively. Glancing around, he really didn't know what to expect but pure darkness was not what he wanted to see. 

"Barry?" he called out but only received silence. 

His head snapped to the left, his ear straining, but couldn't hear anything. Aside from his own sparking body, he couldn't see anything either. 

Closing his eyes, he concentrated, letting his new inner sense take over, guide him. His feet moved on their own. 

Moments later, his hand pressed against an invisible wall, barrier, shield. Eyes open, he tapped and saw nothing. Moving along the barrier, he tapped in various spots until he saw a tiny flicker. Smiling, he remembered what Calvin told him about finding the right frequency, the weak spot, and how to get past a barrier. Concentrating, he sent a small energy stream into the barrier, increasing in intensity until he sensed a crack. Switching over to Pulse Mode, he sent out an energy blast that caused the barrier to shimmer and collapse. 

He ventured onward. 

He passed through two more barriers before reaching his destination, the very core of Barry's mind. He only knew it was the core based on the yellow-orange orb before him; what's left of it anyway. Reaching out to it, using himself as a channel, he pulled in more energies and fed the orb. 

He had no idea how much time had passed before the "room" lightened up. Soon, the orb was back to full strength and he closed his channels. 

Weakened, he gazed around at all the positive energies flowing through the "room". He reached out a hand, watching in amazement as some sparks swirled around it. He felt warmed, comforted, accepted. 

Sensing something not quite right, he saw a damaged spark, nowhere near Barry's proper colours. Reaching out to it, he hissed at the pain and saw the dream images. What he saw nauseated him; he never wanted to see Barry consumed by darkness, nor be driven to such despair by the absence of his friends, those he needed most to take care of him. Whatever caused these nightmares, he had no idea. He silently vowed to keep a closer eye on his partner, now that he has the proper means to do so, through these new energies. 

He gently caressed the darkened spark, soothing it, feeding it his own energies. Other sparks watched on, the orb glimmered. Soon, the spark began to lighten, and the other sparks surrounded it, adding their own energies. Pulling back, the worst of the damage taken care of, he beamed at how the rest of the sparks finished the healing of their companion spark. 

Turning, he headed off, feeling immense warmth from the Guardian Orb. 

He soon felt himself encased in limbs again. 

* * * *

Gasping, pulling out of his speedster's mind, Hartley felt himself fall back down on the sofa, encased in those very familiar limbs. It was another moment before his own mind registered his beloved's rambling. 

"Thank you, thank you, OMG thank you!" 

Wrapping his arms around Barry, Hartley held him close, just as tightly. "Not letting you go, ever." 

"Thank you," Barry whispered and nuzzled him, both protectively and possessively. Hartley felt the pure warmth and security in that nuzzle, and drowned himself in those emotions. 

His new sense still active, he roamed outward for a moment. 

Kyle settled a dry blanket upon them. Victor and Floyd came over to talk quietly with Kyle. Alfred came in with a tray of two drinks best consumed after such nightmares. Bruce was in his office within the Manor talking to a visitor. Outside, past a barrier, it was cloudy with a hint of rain. 

Reining his new sense back in, Hartley let himself drift along Barry's energies that were flowing through them both, mixing in his own. 

He smiled. Another hurdle conquered. 

\----------------------------------------------

"I feel like I had the best sleep ever," Barry grinned as they headed down the corridor. "Like a weight has been lifted." 

Hartley beamed, very pleased his partner was feeling back to normal again. He still had no idea what caused those particular nightmares and Barry hadn't been able to tell him much. Maybe after a bit of time, some small detail will emerge that will shed some light. 

For now, they had just left the Library and were wandering aimlessly through the long corridors within the Manor, no particular destination in mind. However, Hartley did hope to eventually reach the kitchen, check in with Bruce, and find his own bed, where it was slightly warmer than the Library, with more room to spread out on. 

Glancing at a clock they passed by, it was evening, closing in on 9:00 pm. 

"When I got here, I was feeling fine, better than before I left, and was also feeling fine when we got to the Manor. Then I got all sleepy and the dreams began, again, and I guess they were a bit more intense than through the week and I was beginning to think I'm better off staying awake but then you managed to tackle the problem and fix me up ... " 

Hartley grew uneasy with knowing that Barry had been having those dreams all week. When exactly had they started? He really wished he knew more. He was just glad he was able to help, even more grateful that Barry knew to seek him out for assistance. 

" ... mostly absent for the week, it's been difficult. Sure, I did see Len briefly a couple days after you guys left and Mick a bit longer than that due to some fires that started up again, but barely any contact since, only with Mick and that was by text ... " 

Wait ... Leonard and Mick hadn't been available? At all? Hartley didn't like that one bit. 

" ... ended up being okay as I saw a lot of Calvin during the week, fully clothed so no need to worry about that, although I had worried one day when I woke up naked in bed and he was growling at me about being late to work but he assured me nothing happened when we were with Gagne and do you know that the twins are growing up fast? Grade 3 if you can believe it! Gagne says the two of them combined reminds him of me, perfect little nuisances. Wait, I'm not a nuisance, am I? That wasn't even the most noteworthy of the week as Kenny and Jacks has this adorable kitten, and now they have two, as they claimed one of the new fireball kittens ... " 

Hartley relaxed as he realised that their friends at the precinct had been watching out for Barry. Turning down another corridor, listening to the familiar rambling, hanging on to every single word, he soon felt a groping hand on his ass, which he purposely ignored. 

" ... precinct has one and Gagne has one, I think Mick still has one of the new ones and our building adopted the fifth one which Fireball and Scratches seem really happy about. Everyone adores the two kittens and the official naming ceremony for the new one is scheduled ... " 

After seeing how well behaved and protective Fireball was, Hartley had no doubt that the newest addition will prove quite the asset to their apartment building. He felt pleased that the residents of the small building got along so well with one another and the felines. 

He sighed in annoyance as he felt a slice through the crack of his pants but again, ignored the pest that was following closely behind them. Barry had yet to notice. 

" ... wouldn't believe the look on Joe's face on Keystone Case Day when he came up and Kenny Jacks were a bit busy ... " 

Hartley nearly stumbled as two cool fingers jammed their way up his ass. He halted while Barry kept walking and rambling. 

"Mmm, don't let me interrupt, you can keep going." 

Hartley shuddered at the teasing tone in his ear that was equally devilish. He attempted to step away but a third finger found its way in and he fell backward into his adversary. 

"Wise decision, preferring my company. Let's see how much I can do to you before Sparky realises you're not with him." 

"Flo ... " 

A finger tapped his lips. "Hush, now, li'l one. Haven't had a taste since before I went after Vic. As grateful as I am to have Vic back, I can have him anytime. You're returning home tomorrow and I need to make sure I devour you as much as possible until then." 

Adding action to words, Floyd sucked into the side of his neck, grazing teeth along skin. The three fingers also began thrusting and Hartley unwillingly let out a moan as they hit his prostate. 

That single moan was all it took for his Flash to zip back to them, eyes sparking. 

"Sheesh, that didn't take long at all. Need to learn how to be quieter, li'l mouse. Thought you knew better than to squeak." 

"Fuck you," Hartley growled as Floyd removed his fingers. 

"Come now, you know that's not how this goes. My dick goes in your ass, not the other way around. I'm a one-dick guy these days, seeing as ol' Brucie has been getting his action elsewhere. Honestly, what he sees in that pompous alien, I'll never know." 

While Floyd was talking, Hartley had witnessed the Gotham Hunter multitasking by sucking on his fingers, neatly side-stepping away from Barry's lunges, and even hauled out some spring-loaded clamps and tossed them at the speedster. Barry now wiggled on the floor with a clamp around his torso and upper arms, one around his waist which captured his wrists nicely, the third clamp around the ankles. Barry whined. 

"Oh, hush, you're not hurt," Floyd told the restrained speedster. "Be a good boy and stay quiet for a few minutes." 

"Now then," Floyd turned back to Hartley. "The bros are with pretty boy, tinkering around with that fancy rock. What I want to know is, what would the dangers be of making chains out of it compared to your ordinary special source?" 

"Uh," Hartley blinked, his mind instantly switching over to the numbers. "Depends on the size of the chains, whether they're big and heavy duty, or more the standard size used in jewelry and piercings. A small chain between two piercings, with normal Dwarf Star, you will feel them more than you would if made out of any other material, at least 50% more than the standard chains. This is due to the fact Dwarf Star is its own energy source, and those sensitive toward the material will feel that energy humming through the chain. With a pure Dwarf Star, that number is 100% and the humming vibrations are stronger. Combine that with Barry's natural powers, and his own vibrations, that number may as well be 1000%." 

Barry groaned and shuddered on the floor, and Hartley immediately knew that his partner was envisioning such chains. 

"The more personal energy one has, the better the feel of Dwarf Star. Otherwise, it will only feel slightly better than the boring materials jewelers use." Floyd thought that over for a few moments. 

"Exactly," Hartley confirmed. "Even the boring materials jewelers use, one will notice the difference between tin and diamond, and feel immensely better with the diamond. It's all in the materials used, and how people value each material. Some might feel better with Sapphire, others might prefer Amber or Jade. The real difference though ... " 

Floyd picked up on the thought immediately. "Dwarf Star is actual energy, it flows through whatever you make, giving it that extra bonus feel in terms of humming and vibrations. I've also noticed some of the visual effects as well. It can also be used in suits, shields, and weaponry. Ray has shown us his repaired suit and the plans he's making for future upgrades with the new Star ... the blue-purple one at least. Dwarf Star is certainly not something for the basic population." 

Hartley snorted in agreement. "Definitely not. Even the common Dwarf Star is rare enough. In the wrong hands, those things are way more than enough to wipe out majority of our planets in a single sweep." 

Floyd shuddered. "And yet, this one," he tapped the ass with his boot, "appear to be addicted to your treasures." 

"Yeah, that he is," Hartley smiled fondly. "Haven't done much with pure Dwarf Star yet, though, as I really don't have much material to work with. Plus, my priority is a shielding system for our place that require the pure stuff. I have enough of the regular Dwarf Star to keep him occupied for a few months anyway." 

"Only a few months?" Floyd smirked as he lowered his boot and pressed in near the balls. 

"You know how it is, always wanting the latest new toys," Hartley leaned against the wall, watching his Gotham Hunter play around with his partner for a bit. 

"How about the newest Star?" Floyd asked as Barry failed to roll away, pressing harder. 

"Hmm," Hartley thought that over for a few moments. The new Dwarf Star was indeed different from the normal one and the pure. It was also more amber in colour rather than blue. "I don't know. Unlike the sample you gave me, the amber has a great deal of energy, more than the ordinary Star and it feels more powerful than even the pure Star. However, it also feels more erratic, more wild. The colour worries me. If it's anything like Red Kryptonite, then it could be very dangerous." 

Floyd paled at that. "That could change one's personality for the worse, turn into a self-conceited, arrogant prick, who takes what they want and damn the consequences." 

"Much like you, huh? Red Dwarf sounds like it's made for you," Barry spoke up, glancing back over his shoulder. 

"Shut it, punk," Floyd growled and hauled his sniper off his back and slammed the muzzle right where his boot was. He kept his boot between the legs though, right above where the clamps held the ankles. 

"Floyd ... " Hartley began but Floyd cut him off. 

"Hush, I got this. Kids need to learn their place while the adults are talking, hmm?" Floyd pressed on the balls and grinned. "Mmm, I can feel the tension, the hardness. Is he always this easy?" 

Hartley watched as Barry wiggled in a failed attempt to get away. He heard the groan as his partner vibrated to no avail, yet feeling the hard metal vibrate against his balls. 

"Mmm, that's a nice trick. Too bad my clamps are vibration proof. Also phase proof, not that it really matters as there's literally only one way out of my clamps. You can try all you want, it certainly adds to the entertainment." Floyd giggled in his annoying way as he kneaded the muzzle along the entire length of Barry's crack. 

"Harrrrrrrt ... " Barry whined. 

Despite not sensing any immediate danger within Barry's body, Hartley felt he should step in. "Floyd, he's not too keen on the usage of firearms." 

"Hmm," Floyd tilted his head in thought, as he eased up on the pressure. "He's CSI, he must know about them." 

While Barry panted on the floor, Hartley explained, "Yes, he's quite knowledgeable about many of them, knows how to use each one, and can dismantle your sniper in a single second, and put it back together again in the next. However, that doesn't mean he has to like them." 

"Hmm," Floyd repeated as he dragged the muzzle along the inside of a leg. "Tell me, Barry, have you ever been in a hostage situation that involved guns?" He tapped the ass to make sure he had his attention. 

"I ... I ... I .... " Barry stammered and grew quite pale. 

"Barry, it's fine, you don't need to tell him," Hartley spoke soothingly. "Concentrate on relaxing. I'm right here." 

Floyd blinked over at him but it wasn't until Barry's breathing grew normal that Hartley explained. 

"It was in our first month at the CCPD. Well, I was STAR Labs but I was at the precinct when it happened. A criminal was being led to the holding cage until his transportation arrived to haul him off to the Heights. Cuffs weren't properly secure and he spun around, grabbing a blade and swung it around wildly to get everyone to back off. He was quite angry. Sensing an opportunity, he grabbed a little girl who was there with her mum, held her hostage until they got outside. Barry was late as usual and when he was running in, he bowled right over the criminal. The little girl escaped, the criminal grabbed Barry's gun and knocked him in the skull a few times with that gun, enough for a minor concussion. Barry was dazed but he was conscious enough to see that the criminal was going to fire a shot into the air. Barry saw what the rest of us didn't, and that was the exact angle the gun was pointing. Barry wasn't able to raise his arm fast enough, the gun fired, the bullet hit the streetlamp post and it redirected to that little girl." 

Hartley's voice had grown quieter during the explanation. "Barry makes it a point to learn as much as he can about all kinds of weaponry, and how to put up a defence against each one. When he got his powers, his perception intensified, and he can predict a bullet's trajectory in all kinds of scenarios, situations, weather conditions. When out on the streets, faced with a gun, his preference will always be to dismantle that gun. He hasn't encountered very many individuals that he trusts completely to hold a gun. Even though it's standard for all employees of the CCPD to be trained in the usage of, and carry a gun, Barry is the sole exception to the rule, and nobody there forces him to take one. Not even our Captain." 

Silence fell over the trio for a few minutes and it was Barry's voice that startled them. 

"Custom Sniper, smaller in length than the standard, muzzle is a half-inch smaller and more oval than round, requiring special bullets. No sight on the barrel but there seems to be a magnifying lens, likely with target lines, on the wielder's end. The hammer is just for show, it doesn't ready the bullet, it's more of a mind game thing. The safety is also just for show. The trigger, three clicks. There are buttons hidden inside the grip. Press one, the safety comes off. Press another, the bullet is readied. Press the third, hold, press the trigger, the bullet is fired. No chance of accidental firing and I can bet that those hidden buttons require a particular fingerprint. Will not work for anyone else." 

Floyd whistled and Hartley stared in awe. "My, my, all that accurate information without having taken a look at my precious sniper. Your ass has excellent perception." 

Barry snorted. "I've felt something similar recently. Not a sniper but with a few similar features." 

Hartley grinned, knowing full-well that Barry was talking about the new Frost Gun. "I designed his custom sniper before I left Gotham last time, along with a gunblade version. He seems to favour this one for his daily duties." 

"Mmm, I save the gunblade for the _very special_ occasions," Floyd licked his lips as he pierced Hartley with his gaze, causing him to shudder at that recent memory, when Floyd came to Central City. Unfortunately, Floyd was also too damn perceptive for his own good. 

"Ooh, seems like someone is ready for a repeat performance," Floyd grinned wickedly as he pulled his sniper away from Barry and tapped Hartley's growing erection with the muzzle. 

Hartley snorted and ignored the blasted Hunter, yet not pulling away. Instead, he focused back on Barry. "You okay?" 

"Yeah," Barry replied after a moment. "I'm good. Just takes a bit to settle into a new situation. These clamps are interesting, though. Snug but not too tight. Has a bit of grippyness to them like those wires from the Library. Powers fully intact, and it's as Floyd says, vibration and phase proof. Not sure how that would work in a dangerous situation, though." 

"Mmm, let's find out!" 

Floyd took up the challenge by bending down behind Barry and sliced his dagger along the crack, splitting the jeans apart, like he had done to Hartley's pants minutes ago. Barry gasped at the sudden chill. 

"Oh, my, what do we have here?" Floyd mused as he reached his hand in and retrieved some warm liquid, bringing his fingers to his lips. "Mmm, tasty. Tell me, Barry, when was it that you unleashed into your pants?" 

Hartley watched as Barry turned redder than his regular suit and heard the barely audible words, "Which time?" 

Hartley groaned and Floyd burst out into laughter. Leave it to Barry to unleash multiple times while being held captive. 

"Now, then," Floyd said as he stood up, repositioning himself behind Barry. "Time to test that danger sense of yours, hmm?" Resting a boot on one asscheek, he pressed it outward a bit, enough for him to press the muzzle into the crack. Barry gasped at the cold metal as he dragged it down to his destination. 

Soon as he pressed inward, the muzzle passing through the first barrier, both Floyd and Hartley heard a distant thud and two of the clamps clattering on the floor at their feet. 

Floyd smirked as he cleaned off the muzzle with a cloth and strapped the sniper to his back. He bent down for the two larger clamps, collapsing them, and placed them in their pouch on his belt. 

Hartley whistled. "You _did_ figure out the emergency feature." 

"Of course I did," Floyd grinned and spun toward Hartley, pinning him against the wall. "You're not the only one with a brain y'know." 

Unable to speak due to Floyd's lips upon his, Hartley sensed that his partner was okay, and could barely make out Barry's distant voice at the far end of the corridor, claiming he was fine. Sensing Kyle coming along, he relaxed as his own Hunter carried Barry off. 

"Mmm, just the two of us now," Floyd spoke his devilish way as he nipped Hart's earlobe. "Whatever shall I do? So many ideas, so little time." He jammed his knee up into the erection, sliding along it. "This corridor is interesting, but there are far cozier places in the Manor. And besides," Floyd giggled as he ran a hand up under Hart's shirts and grasped a nipple, holding tightly, causing Hart to groan loudly, "wouldn't want Alfred to ban us from the Manor for unsanctioned activities within his clean corridors." 

"Damnit, Floyyyyd ... " Hartley's growl turned into a moan as Floyd jammed his other hand down his pants and gripped him as hard as the nipple. 

"You just love my hands on you," Floyd grinned and kissed him, not pulling away afterward as he pressed his forehead to his Central partner, capturing and holding his eyes. 

"Don't you?" Floyd repeated in a hiss as he switched over to the other nipple, pinching hard between two fingers and rubbing the bud with his thumb. 

It was a few moments before Hartley's mind registered the question. He nodded. 

"Hmm, didn't quite hear you." Floyd pulled his hand out but only to pop open the button and pull down the zipper. Gripping the fabric he tugged downward and rested his thumbnail and fingernail on the tip. He gave a warning pinch, not enough to hurt but enough for Hartley to register what the Hunter's intentions were. 

"Ungh ... " Hartley really didn't know what to say as his mind was rapidly checking out. The more Floyd squeezed, the more of something else he was feeling, something he hadn't felt in a long time. 

Floyd moved slowly, licking down his cheek and lightly bit into the skin. "Still waiting." 

Head falling back against the wall, Hartley panted as he tried to focus. He remembered there was a question but he had absolutely no idea what. He shuddered as something new began to form within him. 

"Question?" he managed to gasp out. 

Floyd chuckled in his ear and ran his thumb over the slit. "Mmm, good to know I can still render you senseless. I love seeing you turn into mush under my own hands. Tell me, is Sparky at least as good as I am?" 

Hartley blinked his eyes open, fully hearing that question. He managed to let out a snort before replying, "Betterrrrrgh!" 

Floyd bit down on his ear and he felt the vibration from that silent laughter. Okay, he really had to admit that Floyd was damn good but Hartley was determined not to tell _him_ that. He wasn't going to give up that easily. 

"Hmm, not sure what I think about being second-best," Floyd growled as he pinched his tip harder, causing Hartley to gasp and shudder against the wall. He was really beginning to feel something bubble up inside him. 

"Floyd ... " Hartley gasped out in warning. 

"Mmm? Putting me back on top?" Floyd grinned and switched to stroking the slit. He had also released the nipple and was now lazily flicking it. 

"NO!" Hartley spat out and groaned, eyes clenching shut. "No, that's not it .... " Whatever it was, it was coming on fast and he can't seem to prevent it. "Christ, move! Can't hold ... " 

He sensed Floyd's sudden alarm a split second before a burst of energy blasted out of his body. He heard the thud and the groan but it was a few moments before Hartley got his body back under control again. 

Perspiring heavily, Hartley cracked open his eyes and felt sick at the sight before him. Floyd was slumped against the wall across from him with a heavy gash on the side of his head. 

"Crap! Crap crap crap crap crap ... " Hartley nearly fell on top of his friend in his haste to inspect the wound. To his relief, Floyd batted his hand away and grinned up at him. 

"Daaaaamn, that's your finest trick yet to get out of that sort of situation." 

"Oh, gods," Hartley wrapped his arms tightly around his Gotham Hunter, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened, that just came out of nowhere. Are you okay? You're bleeding, gash in the ... " 

Floyd cut off his rambling by kissing him. "Mmm, I'm fine, nothing to worry about. I've had worse hits before." 

"I know, but ... " 

"Hush, li'l one, I'm okay and you're okay. If you really want to make it up to me, then help me up." Floyd spoke in a way that nobody ever gets to hear: soothingly. Only Hartley and Victor has ever heard the pure sweet tone. 

Hartley nuzzled him then hauled him up to his feet. He was about to fix up his pants when Floyd gripped him with a devilish grin. 

"Oh? What do we have here?" Floyd dragged his thumb along the slit and held it up for them both to see. 

Hartley blinked at the white drop on Floyd's thumb. Glancing down, he saw nothing on the carpet. "Uh ... " 

Floyd chuckled and with his free hand, he caught Hartley's chin to capture his eyes again. "Now, it would appear to me that your Sparky would be quite upset if I stole your first drop. So, it's all yours." 

Hartley rapidly blinked a few times as Floyd jammed his thumb into his mouth. Instinctively, he sucked that tasty thumb. 

"As proof, security cameras are fully active in this corridor so you both can rewatch as often as you'd like," Floyd giggled as he pulled his thumb back out. With Hartley dazed against the wall, Floyd stroked him back up to half-erection before pulling the pants up. 

"Now, then," Floyd kissed him again and tugged on his shirts, "time for you to tend to my injury, then we'll start working on your shields." 

Hartley stumbled forward as Floyd hauled him down another corridor toward some stairs. "Shields?" 

Floyd paused at the stairs and turned to him. "Of course. That blast was full of emotion, good emotion if I might add, but also a hint of fear due to being new and you didn't know what was going on. Last thing we need is for your partners to be blasted away anytime you feel like getting frisky. We need to get you shielded." 

"Uh ... " Hartley really had no idea what had happened and Floyd caught his confusion. 

"You're confused, I can feel it. You're projecting your emotions very clearly. If I weren't me, then I'd likely be caught up in your confusion and other mixed emotions; you'd be able to control me in such a state. This new energy of yours, it's quite powerful but I can feel that it's still only at partial strength. It's also not yet very well controlled. You were able to control it to help Barry as you were completely in control of yourself, and you had Kyle supporting you with his own energies. However, here, just now, I made you lose control of yourself, which I do apologise for but in my defence, I also didn't know that would happen, as it had never happened before." 

Floyd pulled him in for a hug. "I would never seriously hurt you and I know you would never hurt me as well. You did nothing wrong. This was only your new powers at work, powers you are not yet in control of. Since you're with me tonight, I take it upon myself to help you control your new Empathic powers, and guide you to creating shields. Tomorrow, Sparky can feed his own energies into your shields, seeing as you're part of his Network." 

"How ... how do you know all this?" Hartley asked. He had never known that Floyd knew about Barry's Force Network, or even knew about any Network. 

Floyd chuckled and led him up the stairs. "My Guardian likes to gossip with your Guardian." 

"Huh?!" Hartley was quite baffled. 

Floyd hauled him into a side bedroom and over to the en-suite. Judging by all the weaponry cases and scattered clothing, and the unmade bed, Hartley guessed it was the Hunter's room. 

Floyd revealed the first-aid kit and sat himself on a stool. "I didn't just find you out of pure luck three years ago. I was already doing a contract job when I got the summons of your arrival. I cancelled the contract, was a boring one to snap pictures of some thugs doing a deal, and I tracked you down. You were far more important than any job I had ever taken on." 

While listening to his words, Hartley cleaned the gash with a warm cloth. Ignoring the first-aid kit, he held his hand lightly to the wound and let his healing energies flow through. Floyd let out a pleasurable sigh and grinned. 

"Mmm, that feels nice. You certainly are in full control of the Healing. Once we get your personal shields up and fully active, you'll be in better control of the new Empath abilities. No leaking out unless you want to, and you wouldn't be overwhelmed by a million different outside emotions slamming into you at once. Here in the Manor, you're fine as there's so few of us here. Plus, and you probably noticed by now, there's an invisible barrier surrounding the Manor that keeps erratic powers in check. A little to the left." 

Overwhelmed doesn't even begin to describe what Hartley was feeling as he shifted his fingers a little to the left. How the heck does Floyd know so much? 

"Ahh, that's the spot. Your fingers have always been so gentle even when you're torturing me. And do try to keep your confusion down to a minimum, I'm doing my best to explain." 

Hartley snorted, letting his confusion and doubts slip away. 

"Mmm, much better," Floyd sighed and closed his eyes. "I love when you're feeling sneaky, trecherous, mischievous ... helps get my blood pumping, the adrenaline flowing. Makes me want to tackle that cute ass of yours." 

Realisation dawned in his eyes. "You're ... you ... " 

"Now you're getting it," Floyd grinned up at him and Hartley saw blue flickers in those grey eyes. "Like you, I'm the Empath of my Network, although I don't seem to have the knack of the Healing. Mental Healing, yes, as that's where an Empath truly shines, but physical healing? I'm more likely to snap bones than heal them. It's quite rare to see one containing equal amounts of energy devoted to two Forces at the same time." 

"Normally, it's just one Force with maybe a close secondary and trickles into the others. Gideon says Healing is a very strong secondary for me as it's quite close to my natural Force." 

Floyd hummed at the news. "Good, you do know stuff. That saves me from a lot of boring explanations. Got far better things to do with my time." 

Hartley gasped as Floyd clutched him and hauled him down into a kiss. It was a few moments before Floyd released him enough for his queries, "How ... who ... ?" 

"Heh, your mind still fizzles under my ministrations," Floyd nipped his nose and embraced him. "Long story but I've had my Empathic abilities all my life, but it wasn't until I was ten when I began really noticing them. Anyway, just like you're part of a Network of seven, I'm also part of a Network. Not all members have been revealed yet but my Force Master is ol' Brucie himself. His Force is Justice. Victor's is Truth. Mine is Empath. I'm certain your Network has different ones?" 

Hartley nodded. "Yeah, ours is centred around the Speed Force which is naturally Barry. We're still figuring out who has what but it seems like Leonard, Mick and Kyle may be a part of our Network. Well, uncertain about Mick yet as he hasn't displayed any sort of abilities to my knowledge, but Leonard definitely has the Network energies flowing inside him. I can see the blue energies, the lines, and can repair them. Kyle hadn't displayed much of anything until early this morning in the Library. I know we have Speed, Healing, Time for certain, and now Empath but we don't yet know who has Time. Nor do we know what it is Kyle has. For that matter, we don't know who the primary person is for Healing. There's a guy at the precinct that seems quite knowledgeable as well, Calvin, and he seems to know Pulses quite well. Based on the Speed Force theme, Pulse could easily relate to Vibration." 

"Hmm," Floyd thought that over for a moment. "Each of your members may very well be a part of the Speed Force. Barry can vibrate, phase, heal, time travel, and I can bet he goes all wisdom on you guys when his eyes spark, right?" 

"Yes, I've also seen that wisdom spark in Calvin around the precinct when he needs to present his findings. He's our newest Tech guy." 

"Interesting," Floyd mused. "Our Network seems more along the line of the Law and Order. I won't mention who has Order. The rest we have yet to discover." 

"Jim ... " Hartley awed. 

"Guessed it in one! Time for your reward," Floyd grinned as he stood up and hauled Hartley out into the bedroom. 

A moment later, Hartley "oofed" as he fell flat on his face on the bed, tossing the boxers away that he had landed on. He found himself quickly chilled as Floyd pulled off his pants and underwear. 

"Mmm, still so delicious," Floyd commented after running his tongue along the crack. 

"Floyyyyyd ... " Hartley groaned as he tried to wiggle away. 

"Hush, now, I know," Floyd placed a hand on his back and Hartley felt the restraining energies which was somehow quite soothing and relaxing. 

Floyd chuckled. "Part of being an Empath, especially a Projective Empath, which you most definitely are, is being able to control others, restrain others, manipulate others. Now, I know you well enough to know that you won't abuse your powers because I know your true heart. You can read and understand situations way better than us Hunters and will always, instinctively, choose the course of action that has the greatest benefit to everyone." 

Floyd moved his fingers, kneading, sending forth more energies which made Hartley's skin tingle. "We can also feed emotions into others, and make their bodies feel all kinds of sensations, merely by the lightest of touches or no touch at all. If I concentrate hard enough, I could be standing at the bedroom door and still be able to molest you into three orgasms, without laying a single finger on you." 

Hartley shuddered at the husky voice knowing full well that Floyd really could do such a thing. But then, Floyd's voice had always been unbearably pleasurable, and it was always a near impossible task to not orgasm while simply walking down the corridor when they were only talking. Had that always been part of the Empath ability? 

"Before you ask, my li'l mouse, my voice is my own," Floyd responded to his unvoiced concerns. "I just know you so well, and know how to make my voice turn you into a puddle of lustful sexiness. I have never tapped into my Empath side whenever I'm with you, only enough to gain a sense of your mind and how you're feeling as I don't ever want to hurt you, even accidently. Well, there have been a few nightmare episodes when I soothed you with my ability but that was it. And for the record, I much prefer using my own hands and my dick in your ass to make you orgasm. Much nicer that way and it benefits me as much as it does you. More explanations later. Right now, how about we get them shields sorted out so I can make us both feel good, hmm?" 

All through the night, Floyd was true to his words, and Hartley soon had fully functioning shields. The rest of the night was devoted to Floyd testing those shields, from various angles, in all kinds of ways. Even with his Healing, Hartley knew that both his ass and his cock were going to be quite painful in the morning. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Gaaaah, how the heck do you open this thing?!" Barry whined as he futilely tugged at the clamp still around his ankles. 

"Front, top bottom, along edge," Kyle informed him while inspecting the contents of his Hunter bag. 

"Hmm," Barry peered closer along the top edge. He had to pull his legs up closer to do so, and fell on his back in the process. That shift caused the light to reflect down on the clamp in just the right way, allowing him to see a tiny alteration in colour. He pressed on the spot and felt the barest hint of softness. Grinning, he found the spot on the bottom edge, and pressing both together, the clamp popped off. 

"Nicely done!" Kyle beamed at him. 

"Daaaamn, that was some clamp," Barry let the clamp topple to the floor as he sprawled out on the bed. "Was a bit different from the two larger clamps. I phased out of those two easily but not this one. Still, it was a neat material, felt nice. I can't imagine any targets being able to get out of it easily." 

"That clamp is part of our standard Hunter equipment. The two larger clamps is of Floyd's design and meant for capturing Metas. You proved to be a worthy test subject as he had only completed those this week." 

"Huh," Barry mused that over. "They certainly held back my powers. Still, how useful can those Meta Clamps be if any Meta can break free if they feel panicked? Then again, I honestly don't know of any other Meta with my danger sense." 

Kyle nodded as he cleaned the basic Hunter clamp. "It is true we do not know the full capabilities of other Metas. Some may have their own version of a danger sense, some may not. The emergency feature in Floyd's clamps were with you in mind as he does have access to Hart's research notes. With the assistance of Bruce, Alfred and Victor, he will make a variety of new Hunter clamps, even general ones for Metas that will subdue their powers completely. Every Hunter has their own basic equipment that they either create themselves or has a steady source. Floyd, Victor and myself hunt down our own materials and everything is created here at Wayne Manor. All of our gear is unique and custom-made. No other uses the exact items we use." 

"Huh, just like whatever Hart makes is not sold anywhere in the Multiverse. His items are for our use only, and our friends of course." Barry grinned at that addition, knowing full well that both Len and Mick adore Hart's tech and he also may have heard Hart mumbling in his sleep earlier that day about possible items for Ray. 

"Yes. This way we know what we use is in the best possible condition, and is created with our skills and abilities in mind." 

"I believe it," Barry told his own Hunter. "I've had store-bought items before, but they never felt as safe or as good as any of the ones Hart made over the years, even when we were still in College. Those store ones felt lifeless, dull, boring, even had some welts once as the sizing chart on the label was wrong. At least Hart can custom-size everything. I tell ya, store-bought items only ever have two sizes: too tight and extremely tight." 

Kyle beamed. "Hart would make an excellent Hunter if solely based on the fact he is extremely skilled in creating custom gear. I also have some of his pieces that neither Floyd nor Victor has; they both are quite interested and I am certain Hart will have a long list of custom orders for when we get back home." 

"If he's so skilled, and I've seen his movements out in the field, why is Hart not a Hunter like you guys?" Barry asked as he inspected a grappling cord that Kyle tossed him. It was a retractable cord, hidden within a device that had holes for fingers to insert and grip. Pulling the cord out a few inches, he nearly blissed out at the feel of the material. 

Kyle watched on, pleased, for a few moments before responding. "Hart much prefers the sidelines, creating the gear that keeps us safe, keeping tabs on the satellites and communication, watching over the battlefield. He is a far better tactician and strategist than the rest of us. We are merely his playing pieces on the board." 

"You trust him, and he keeps you safe," Barry beamed as he pulled out more of the fancy cord, curious to know how much cord is in the small device. 

"We will always trust Hartley and thus he is a permanent member of our Hunter circle. We protect him as much as he protects us. I have obtained the latest equipment to be able to monitor our circle here at the Manor. Once installed at home, we will have better access to Floyd's and Victor's assignments, and they will be able to keep an eye on us. Our personal Hunter rule is to always keep tabs on each another." 

"That's a good rule and one I like to try and follow," Barry grimaced at some recent memories, while attempting to untangle his legs from the cord. "I just wish I hadn't lost touch with Hartley when he went to Gotham. But then, the Accelerator exploded, I was in that coma, then busy with adjusting to my new powers ... but I still should have tracked him down. I don't know why I didn't." 

"That was a difficult time for many in Central City, with the new Metas emerging, criminals taking the opportunity to run unchecked. It is not your fault for not tracking Hartley down; with all the new things happening, he also did not want to be found, did not want to distract you from your primary duties." 

"Gack! What the heck is this cord?!" Barry whined as the cord had wrapped itself around the speedster. "It's grippy, and throbbing, squeezing, something! And strangely good." 

Kyle laughed lightly as he reached for the device and pressed the button to release the tension of the cord. He didn't bother to flick the switch to retract the cord; Barry can figure that out on his own, maybe. 

"Interesting," Barry mused as he wiggled, still restrained. "Feels really nice. Definitely of Hart's design, right?" Kyle nodded and Barry continued, "Thought so. Only Hart can make something this good. I'm lucky to have bumped into you two at the grocery store. Very grateful that you've been looking out for him these last few months. I wouldn't know what to do if he suddenly weren't around anymore. I'm just glad to have him back in my life again, and I hope to never lose sight of him again. If your new Hunter tracking equipment can pin-point Hart's location, that'll be quite beneficial." 

"Indeed it would," Kyle agreed as Barry rolled and toppled off the bed. "The new equipment will track each member of our Hunter circle, and gain us access to the database we keep here at the Manor. We would also be able to update our own information from Central without having to wait until our next visit to Gotham, or one of our Gotham members comes to visit us." 

Sounds of various clamps snapping could be heard over Barry's curses. It was a few moments before he could respond. "I know Hunters mostly work alone, and that you, Victor and Floyd are different as you're all like brothers, well, you and Victor more so but Floyd is like a true brother as well, annoying dick he is. I know a circle, in this case, is like a network of your most valued and trusted allies. I can understand Hartley being a member of your circle, as you've all looked out for him and assisted in his training, and he adores all three of you. I'm curious, how big is your circle? Who are your members? And mind helping me get some of these blasted clamps off?" 

Kyle nudged Barry with his foot, causing the speedster to roll a bit and find a new clamp that caught his foot. "I approve of your train of thought, wanting to make sure our circle is safe for Hart." 

"Gaaaaaack! Too tight! Who's the bloody bastard that put vibrations in THAT one?! Of course, if I hear about any member causing difficulties for Hart, I'll make damn sure that they wind up with a bloody nose." 

"You need not fear," Kyle assured him as the final clamp from his gear snapped shut. "Our Hunter circle is small, with only us three Hunters and most trusted allies. Those would be Bruce, Alfred, Leonard and Mick. Our newest members are Ray Palmer and yourself. We also have allies outside of our circle, resources we can tap into when necessary, but it is only our circle that know the true details of our assignments and of our personal selves." 

Barry blinked at the words, while he searched for, and found, the releases for each clamp he fell into. "I'm not a Hunter nor capable of being one, I don't have the time." 

"No, you are not a Hunter but you are a valuable ally that we three are in perfect agreement with to include in our circle. True, you have not known Victor or Floyd for long, but you have proven yourself quite trustworthy with the proper heart and dedication required to be a Hunter, or at least, a Hunter's Ally." 

Barry nodded as he removed the final clamp and reached around his back to release the cord. "It's true, I would do anything to protect you because you help protect Hart. Victor is a pretty cool guy, I like him and know him to be quite skilled in protecting his closest friends. Floyd is a real dick, though." 

Kyle laughed as he retrieved the grappling cord, sealing it up, and began placing his clamps back into his bag. "That he is, Floyd is a real dick, yet the most loyal dick you will ever meet. If you ever gain any sense of approval toward Floyd, never tell him that or he will become the most annoying dick in the Multiverse." 

Barry grinned as he handed Kyle the final clamp. "I'll be sure to remember that. I'll also be sure to take my Hunter's Ally position very seriously. If ever I can be of assistance in any way, I'm there for you guys. I may be a bit grouchy if called upon at 3 in the morning but I'll still be there." 

"I know you will, and I thank you very much, Barry. It is my hope that if your assistance is required at 3 in the morning, you would already be doing your proper duty, by keeping our charge warm and safe." 

Barry had to blush at that, knowing full well what his Hunter was referring to. That also reminded him of his recent late-night difficulties. 

Once the Hunter equipment bags were sealed up properly, Kyle turned to him. "You have something on your mind." 

Barry sighed as he leaned back against the side of the bed, still sitting on the floor. "Bad dreams this past week. Different from that nightmare after the Rogues incident but still just as bad. They seemed like regular bad dreams at first, I really don't remember much, except that I always felt scared afterward, lost, confused. It was the one from Saturday that caused me to come out here as I remember parts of it, and I didn't like it one bit. I figured, if there's anyone that knows about bad dreams and the darkness they contain, you would be the best one to talk to." 

"My experience with Hart," Kyle nodded. "You are wise to come to me as I can comfort and soothe just as well as you and Hart can." 

"You're also good with your words, and your voice when you decide to speak up," Barry grinned, pleased with how attentive Kyle was and how serious he always takes their conversations. 

"My voice is what Hart loves the most about me and I try to reserve it for him, and now you. Tell me about the dream you had before you came here." 

Barry smiled at the Hunter's words, at how Kyle proclaimed his loyalty toward him. He felt truly lucky indeed at having such a wonderful person in his life. 

He sighed again at pulling up the recent memory. "There didn't seem to be much to it but the dream was full of darkness, dark energies slowly devouring me. As I already told Hart, I felt fine when I got here but when I fell asleep, there was more darkness. I watched as everyone around me was consumed by the darkness, like blinking out of existence. It didn't feel like the Dark Force that had invaded his body." 

Kyle thought that over for a moment. "Hart didn't find any of the Dark Force inside your body or your mind. It was more like the light was turned off in your mind. In fact, your Guardian Orb had been weakened and one of your sparks damaged, which had diminished your light. We do not know how that happened or why but we plan on keeping a close watch over you in case the darkness return." 

"Could it possibly be another from the Death Force Network? I know the Dark Force is only one such parasite but I don't know what the other six are." 

Kyle hummed in thought. "Quite likely, and certainly something that require research." 

"Gideon likely knows more, I can ask her next time I pop up for a visit," Barry stretched, being mindful that he didn't get tangled up in anything else. "Kyle, thank you for being here. I always feel better knowing you're here, and always willing to lend an ear. Knowing that you're also looking out for me, makes me feel stronger." 

"I am always happy to help and willing to listen," Kyle told him and pulled him into a hug. "I value your friendship equally as much as I do Hart's and I promise to always watch over you." 

"Mmm, good," Barry fully relaxed into the hug, feeling Kyle's full warmth and strength. "I much prefer protecting those that I know appreciate it, feels much better. I still protect the cranky old coots but it's a different feeling altogether when I'm keeping my most favourite people safe. Especially those I get to fall asleep with." 

"You are more than welcome to fall asleep in my bed, anytime," Kyle spoke softly and Barry immediately blushed at those words. 

"Ah, right, I keep forgetting it's your bed as well," Barry glanced behind him. "This bed also ... " 

Kyle laughed. "You need not fear. I do not require much sleep so this bed is more yours than mine tonight, seeing as Hart is tending to his new powers tonight." 

Barry didn't even hear that last part as his mind was focused on the former. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. How is it that you don't require much sleep? I don't know anyone that functions on only two hours of sleep each day." 

Kyle watched as Barry stood up and stretched, and stood up himself. "I thought you knew but it appears this is not the case. I am like you, Barry." 

Barry spun around, eyes sparking in startlement. "Wait, you're a speedster?!" 

Kyle sighed and grinned as he misted up his arm, letting the wispy tendrils press against Barry's chest, toppling him backward onto the bed. He then snorted and turned toward the en-suite, solidifying his arm again. "Speedster, I think not." 

Barry flailed about on the bed, trying to disentangle himself from the bedsheets. He didn't know what to be more in awe of ... the fact that Kyle is a Meta, or that he somehow got tangled up again. 

\----------------------------------------------

Monday morning dawned dark and cloudy with a hint of rain, as seems to be the norm in Gotham City. Barry sighed at the sky, not feeling his usual spark of energy. Sure, he's no Kryptonian who is fueled by the sun, but he always did feel better when zipping around in sunlight, or even under the bright moon. Gotham was so cloudy that he hadn't even seen the moon at all. 

After making sure all their gear were secure on the PalmerTech Jet, Barry had just stepped off the Jet when he saw Floyd talking with _his_ Hart, and making full use of his hands as well. 

Having had enough of the pesky Hunter, Barry slammed Floyd up against a building on the far side of the airstrip. 

"Temper, temper," Floyd smirked at him which only tightened Barry's grip on the front of his shirt collar. 

"Give me one good reason ... " Barry growled but Floyd interrupted. 

"Spark." 

Barry blinked, not certain he heard correctly. 

"Come on, I don't got all day. Spark!" Floyd growled and tapped the side of Barry's head. 

"Uh," Barry blinked again as he loosened his hold, his eyes now sparking. 

"Good, you're listening now," Floyd spoke more normally, not his annoying pricky self. Barry never knew that Floyd could be anything other than a dick. 

"Floyd ... " 

"Hush, Sparky, let me speak. You need to hear this." 

Barry released Floyd completely, utterly baffled by his soothing tone. "I'm listening." 

"Good. You need to keep a closer watch over Hart." 

Of all the possible things Floyd could have said, that certainly wasn't one of them. Barry glared at the Gotham Hunter and was about to snap at him but Floyd continued in a serious tone. 

"Barry, Hart's natural Force became active yesterday. I did what I could to give him the basic run-down of things, and get his shields functioning. However, on your way home, I need you to strengthen his shields with your energies. Kyle already knows to do so. Also, you need to discover the rest of your Network as quickly as possible and have each of them feed him their own energies. The more of you watching out for him, the safer we all will be." 

"Floyd ... how?" Barry really didn't know what to say. 

"Not something I like to reveal," Floyd told him, referring to his knowledge. "However, his new powers grew erratic last night and I had to step in to make sure he doesn't hurt any of you. I can assure you that I know what I'm doing. You may not believe me but I've been looking out for him ever since he landed in Gotham three years ago. I knew what he was back then, even though his two Force natures hadn't materialised yet; I suspect the dark energies were subduing them?" 

Barry nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, Dark Force had been growing inside him for years. He still had hints of Healing but it wasn't until I started healing him that his Healing grew stronger. Between the two of us, we were able to eliminate the dark energies." 

"Good, I'm pleased to hear you know how to look out for Hart. Now then, what you don't know is that Hart's true natural Force is Empathy. It's nowhere near full strength yet and won't be for quite some time. However, even at half-strength, Hart is way more powerful than all of us combined, especially when combined with Healing, which he already has complete mastery over." 

Barry paled at that news; he knew that Hartley was powerful but, like everyone, he never knew just how powerful. "He'll be fine, right?" 

Floyd nodded. "Only if you, Kyle and the others of your Network continue to keep looking out for him, along with your other ordinary friends. Strengthen his shields and keep checking in on his mind frequently. Make sure he has absolutely no doubt of your friendship and loyalty. Remind him hourly if you have to that you're not going to leave him." 

"Doubts and uncertainties, confusion and feelings of unworthiness, all will leave him wide open for the Dark Force, or any others in the Death Network to infiltrate him. To have that happen when Empath is still new ... " Barry shuddered. 

"Exactly, you're getting it," Floyd confirmed. "Hart is quite vulnerable right now but he'll be fine with you and Kyle looking out for him on the flight home. I don't expect Ray or the pilot to give our boy any problems. Tell me, Barry, do you know anything about Empaths?" 

"Uh," Barry thought for a moment. "Anything like the Empaths that can feel the emotions of those around them and can in turn, send out their own emotions so others can feel them? Well, not quite like that but be able to inflict various emotions from pain to comfort upon another?" 

Floyd beamed. "That's the very basic gist of it, yes. An Empath runs on emotions and can use emotions however way they wish, whether to help or hurt others. An Empath can also manipulate others, control them to do their bidding by using emotions against them. They can even do a bit brainwashing. With the assistance of Healing, Hart can do a lot of brainwashing if he so desired. A pure-hearted Projective Empath can also heal the mind, much like a Healer can heal the body. Hart has already revealed he can view and repair Network energies, and he was able to heal your mind yesterday, put you back to rights again." 

Realisation dawned on Barry. "That ... that's when his Empath became active? By fixing me up?" 

"Indeed, it was. Hart had to borrow from both Kyle and you in order to gain access to your mind and repair it. I'm sure you don't mind Hart stealing your energies, hmm?" 

Barry had to grin at Floyd's sparkly expression. "Yeah, definitely. When we got back together again all those weeks ago, I told him to take whatever he needed, anytime. I got more than enough energy to energise the Earth several times over." 

"Excellent, you'll do pretty well keeping an eye on Hart. As I stated, he's powerful, and he's also quite dangerous, deadly in fact. In the wrong hands, with the wrong people, as he is right now, he can literally destroy our Earth. Get him up to full power and he can damage the entire Multiverse. As long as his heart stays pure, everyone will be safe. I know that in his right mind, Hart would only ever use his Empath abilities to protect you guys. If he ever needed to take full control, it would be to pull you out of a dangerous situation, or prevent you from falling into one. He would never control or manipulate you out of greed or selfishness. That's not his way." 

Barry nodded. "Yeah, I know his true heart quite well. I will know if he starts behaving out of the ordinary." 

"He start acting completely out of character, you call me and I'll be there soon as I can. Might want to get him to check in with your Guardian as well, keep tabs on his growth, make sure Empath is not conflicting with Healing. I know Healing is his secondary but it's also a very damn powerful secondary. Most Force users are only able to fully master a single Force, but Hart is gonna be mastering his second very soon once Empath has built up more. Preferably, we want to make sure he has perfect control over both, working in harmony. The slightest conflict between the Forces could prove quite deadly for all of us." 

Barry shuddered again. "I ... yeah. I will definitely keep a closer eye on Hart. So all this time, you really were just looking out for him?" 

Floyd smirked and fell back into his natural prick mode. "Naturally, I always look out for him. How can I not, especially with that body that's a pure delicacy? A real treat to the tastebuds, tingles my senses in all the right ways, and that ass is simply to die for! If I had my way, I'd have him chained up to my bed so I can ... " 

Barry zipped away, not wanting to hear any more words that dick had to say. He did feel quite a bit better now after talking with the Hunter, at feeling the other's loyalty toward Hartley. Still, that receding laughter behind him did annoy him. At least he now understood how and why both Hartley and Kyle trusted Floyd so much. 

Collecting his target along the way, Barry zipped onto the Jet before Ray finished his usual Take-Off announcement. He was more than ready to wipe away any lingering traces of Floyd on _his_ precious body. Based on how his partner melded into him, he knew Hartley was just as eager. 

As interesting as Gotham City and the Wayne Manor were, Barry couldn't wait to get back to his Central City. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing over the latest file report, Captain David Singh sighed. He knew the report had been falsified but it bothered him that someone within his own precinct would actually have the nerve to do such a thing. And for what purpose? Both the report and the evidence box appeared genuine, they would fool most people; but not David. Oh no, nobody pulls a fast one on the Captain and gets away with it. 

Locking both report and box into a cabinet, he headed home. Despite knowing the truth, David felt like he was missing something that might shatter his trust. Whatever it might be, he hoped to deal with another day. All he wanted right then was to get home and curl up amongst his three needy bundles of warmth. Rob had always been good with releasing his tension, Cleo relaxes his mind, and the rascal Jitters was top notch at helping him forget about his work day. 

He needed to remember to stop by the building later that week, check in with Mrs Cleary to let her know how the felines were doing. 

David smiled as he parked the car, hearing the meows just on the other side of the door. Entering, he found himself covered in furballs, and very soon in the limbs of his fiancé. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously mentioned in my story (Policy Play), Hartley was in Gotham once before. He went to Gotham shortly after two officers brutalised him at the CCPD. In terms of story timeline, he arrived in Gotham 3 years ago, and left 2 years ago. He was out there for a whole year.
> 
> I do have a Side Story in the works that focuses on Hartley's first time in Gotham. I am not certain when it will be finished or uploaded but likely won't be until I finish up the main story.
> 
> There is actually a lot more to being an Empath than what Floyd has outlined here. Sometimes Floyd just has a one-track braincell especially when Hartley is involved. There will be a much better, proper explanation in the next chapter!
> 
> For those who are missing our two main Rogues, you'll see them back in the next chapter. :)
> 
> Characters:  
> Batman  
> A dark knight, vigilante of Gotham. Has a wicked cool leather outfit and snazzy tech, including a Batmobile.
> 
> Bruce Wayne  
> Runs Wayne Enterprises of Gotham City. Has a really cool butler named Alfred. Likes to stay up nights pursuing certain, nightly activities.
> 
> Victor Zsasz  
> A rogue Bounty Hunter with no known allegience but tends to side with the primary Bounty Hunter of Gotham more often than not. Has a twin brother.
> 
> Floyd Lawton  
> Briefly appeared already, he is the Bounty Hunter of Gotham, employed by Wayne Enterprises as the prime Security for billionaire Bruce Wayne. Has a past history with Hartley.
> 
> Specific Interpretations:  
> I tend to view both Victor and Floyd as their DCTV counterparts, most specifically from Gotham and Arrow. Especially Floyd as I hear his voice when I write his dialogue. I adore both Carrigan and Rowe.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrival back in Central City, trouble is afoot in various aspects of our hero's life. Altho, some are more heart-warming than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As enjoyable as Gotham was, it's great to be back home in Central City. We will certainly see Floyd Lawton again at some point.
> 
> Reflecting back over the chapters, I realised that both Hartley and Kyle became more main chars rather than key support chars. This story has certainly come a long way from the initial chapter, going in directions that seem to come out of nowhere. As a result, there certainly isn't as much Barry Len Mick time as I originally intended, as more Barry Hartley time came about. I am planning some more Barry Len Mick time before I close out Part 1 of this series (yes, we're now officially a trilogy with lots more to come!).
> 
> In the meantime, enjoy the newest chapter, as we finally make some headway into a couple of plot points. Thank you, once again, for checking out my story!
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> None this time, aside from cuteness!

**\-- Conspiracy Play --**   


Heading home, back to Central City, and he couldn't wait to get there. Sure, he could have been back to Central hours ago, within a minute of leaving Gotham City, but there's no denying how blissful he felt right then, laying back on the seating couch with his sleeping, precious partner nestled up against his side. 

Barry had to admit, the PalmerTech Jet was definitely the smoothest aircraft in the skies; in fact, it was way smoother than the first time he flew on it ... literally! Back then, it had been a few minutes after take-off that he figured out the frequency at that altitude to phase into the Jet. This time, he had made absolutely certain to be IN the Jet before take-off, not ON it. 

Glancing around, he saw the only other two visible occupants of the Jet. Kyle was sitting quietly on the opposite end of the couch, one hand resting lightly on Hart's ankles, and reading a book, which seemed to be nearly finished. Ray was sitting in his usual chair, completely absorbed in his tablet, likely looking over some coding or making notes on Dwarf Star stuff. The only other occupant would be the pilot itself, flying the Jet, making sure they don't crash. Barry can appreciate those pilots that are dedicated to the safety of their charges in the air. Ray had an excellent pilot. 

Resting a palm against Hart's back, Barry let some of his own energies flow into the sleeping form, watching as his yellow-orange sparks mingled with the blue-green sparks. It was an amazing display as the sparks danced around, covering Hartley's body before entering. He felt his partner shudder and sigh blissfully, the body relaxing even more. 

It was early on in the flight that Hartley had shown him his shields, how to find them, how to _feel_ them. Barry felt awed at how strong they were, and even more startled at how easily he can bypass those shields. Hart revealed that he was able to give Barry full access to both his body and his mind; one of Floyd's lessons was to control who has access to his mind. That was one sacred privilege Barry vows to never abuse, nor reveal. If the wrong people found out that he had full access to Hartley's mind, then they could use him to control Hart. 

Barry shuddered at that thought and inadvertently woke up his partner. 

"Hey, you okay?" 

Barry smiled down into those sparkling green eyes. "Yeah, sorry if I woke you." 

Hartley shook his head and nudged himself further up to rest his head on Barry's shoulder. "No worries, I hadn't intended to fall asleep like that shortly after showing you my shields." 

Barry wrapped both arms around his partner, holding him close. "It's fine. New powers often lead to more sleep until they've settled and you're used to them. I certainly slept a lot in my first month until we realised I needed more calories." 

Hartley snorted. "Yeah, well, I'm no speedster and don't intend to eat myself sick every day. I don't burn off as much calories as you do." 

"You can stand to eat a bit more each day, you're still practically skin and bone. Not as much now as when I bumped into you at the grocery store, Mick has helped a great deal there, but you're still not eating enough." 

"Hmm, maybe," Hartley sighed. "Not much of an appetite, though. I eat enough to get by. Too much food still has a bad effect on me, hence Mick makes sure I get the proper intake of calories with everything he does make for me." 

"A slow process, but I am glad Mick is watching out for you in that department. I can't imagine not getting near 10k calories a day." 

Hartley groaned at the thought. "I would die if I even contemplated eating that much in a week." 

"You don't even eat that in an entire month," Barry tossed back. "Soon as we get back, I'm taking you to this ice cream stand that Calvin took me to last week. They have this brownie mixture with chocolate sauce, marshmallows and whip cream that is worthy of dying for. And I won't take no for an answer as I'll zip you over there myself." 

"Fine," Hartley growled, giving in with a smile. "But only if you tell me what that shudder was about that woke me up. Whatever was on your mind, it's still there." 

Barry sighed. He didn't mind when Hart is able to pick up on his moods, and sense traces of his mind -- in fact, he fully appreciated it as, in a way, it's a new level of security -- however, he didn't like worrying his friend. Still, this was pretty important and they needed to talk about this. 

"Remembering some of what Floyd told me, about your new Empath powers, about how dangerous they can be if you weren't in your right mind, or you're in the wrong hands. If anyone knew that I know about your powers, they could also use me to get to you. Hellfires, even just knowing you, period, is dangerous." 

"But?" Hartley's eyes sparked blue as he listened attentively, and Barry knew that his mind was being tapped into. However, Hartley had always been patient, waiting for him to collect his thoughts, speak his mind. 

"Knowing anyone is dangerous," Barry continued. "Knowing you, Kyle, Ray, the newest barista at Jitters across from the station, everyone is capable of being dangerous in their own way. For all we know, the barista could have a black belt in seven different forms of martial arts!" 

Hartley giggled which relaxed Barry as he continued on. "I don't know how your new Empath will grow but I plan to keep an eye on you every step of the way. It is my hope that Empath will not conflict with Healing, that they grow stronger together and keep you safe, keep all of us safe. I need to make sure that no darkness infiltrate you again. Whatever happens, I'm with you, and not just because I need to make sure you don't destroy our planet, but because I want to be with you. You're mine and I don't want to lose you to some other annoying dick." 

Barry's voice had grown softer and quieter as he spoke, his arms tightening around his beloved. He didn't need Hartley to respond with words; he felt the full force of those emotions flooding through his body as Hart leaned up to kiss him. 

"Let me show you something," Hartley spoke after a few minutes. "Close your eyes and open yourself up fully to me." 

With a final nip on the lips, Barry settled back again and closed his eyes, lightly breathing. He felt Hartley settling himself back down on his chest again, hearing the steady breathing. Soon, he felt those new energies coursing through his body. 

* * * *

Blinking his eyes open, Barry looked around at the green room he appeared in. For a moment he thought he was inside the Healing Force but he soon saw flickers of blue dancing around. 

"This way." 

Turning, he saw his Hart surrounded by a blue-green mist of sparks. Looking down at himself, Barry saw his own yellow-orange sparks. He followed his partner. 

"When I was in your mind, everything was dark. I couldn't see a thing except for myself." Hartley paused at a barrier and glanced back at him. 

Stepping up to the barrier, like he had done so on his first visit, Barry placed his own hand on it. He felt the humming, the vibration. He sent forth some of his own energies and the barrier pulsed before granting them entry. 

"I passed through three barriers before getting to your core. Here's my second one." Hartley tapped the barrier which instantly recognised him and allowed them passage. Barry let some of his own energies linger behind at the barrier, letting the barrier gain more of his sense. A short while ago, he had only managed to feed a tiny amount of his energies into the shields while Hartley led the way. 

They passed one more such barrier before stopping at the strongest one yet. Hartley placed his hand on it fondly. 

"I have one more barrier than you. This one is new and Floyd assisted with its creation. Being an Empath himself, and our trusted ally, he already has full access to pass through here. Even with our distance, Floyd would be able to sense when this barrier is being tampered with. I know you are not an Empath, Barry, but I want you to be able to gain the sense of this particular barrier. You can already access this far, and even beyond this shield, as I have already set that up for you, but you need to be able to _feel_ my barriers, most especially this one. And this barrier, this shield, is the primary one to feed your energies into." 

Placing his hand on the newest barrier, Barry could feel how different it was from the others. There was so much raw emotion flowing through the shield along with three different energies. He found both of Hart's energies, Empath and Healing, easily, as they were full of Hart's sense. The third energy was new to him but comforting and protective; Barry realised that must be Floyd's energy. 

They stood there for a few minutes as Barry let his own energies flow into the new shield, adding his powers, his strength, his loyalty, his love. The shield glowed brightly and allowed them to pass through. Earlier, Hartley was only able to show him the first three barriers before needing to rest; now they get to progress even further. 

Following his partner, Barry marveled at how the mist surrounding Hartley glowed brighter, the blue sparking with more life. 

Within moments, Barry halted his steps and gaped at the brightness of the chamber before him. A full range of blue and green colours swirled around. In the very centre of the room ... 

Hartley smiled. "My chamber, my inner core." 

"Two ... " was all Barry could think to say. 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed. "You have only a single Guardian Orb, a beautiful one at that, blazing in your natural colours, all aspects of your powers contained within. As you can see, I have two Guardian Orbs, mainly because my secondary, Healing, is so strong that it requires an Orb of its own. Empath is still in apprenticeship, but eventually it will gain enough energy to be an equal to Healing." 

Moving closer, Barry held up a hand to the glowing green Orb. He watched, and felt, the green energies flow over his arm and through his body. The Guardian Orb glimmered brightly and Barry had the sense of acceptance. He beamed at the Orb before turning his gaze to the new Orb. 

The Guardian Orb of Empath was still so small, only a quarter of the size of Healing. Reaching out to it, Barry felt the curious energies as the wispy strands roamed over his arm. He sparked lightly which caused the blue energies to retreat but it was only a moment before curiosity regained control and the blue strands flowed forward again, inspecting his sparks. He watched on happily as Empath continued to explore him. Soon, he felt acceptance from Empath, and delight, excitement, happiness. Barry beamed, feeling completely blissed out as he fed some of his own energies into Empath. 

"Thank you," Hartley spoke softly as he came up behind Barry, wrapping his arms around him. 

"Thank you for trusting me to be here," Barry told him, leaning back into the embrace. "Your Orbs are amazing, they _feel_ incredible. I would do anything to keep them safe. To be able to help watch Empath grow, feed it my energies, it's like watching something of our own creation grow up, gain new experiences." 

"In a sense, Empath IS our creation. It emerged because of us. If you hadn't been around, chasing out the darkness, I would have been lost completely, Empath never to see light. Healing can only do so much, as it is only my secondary, but if Dark were to become my primary, Healing would be completely destroyed. I don't ever want to lose Healing, it is too precious. Now that I have Empath, I need Healing to help it grow. Even when Empath grows far more powerful than Healing, I still need Healing as it's a true part of me. I would never value Healing any less than Empath. I want to be able to protect both equally, make both stronger. Together, working in harmony, with you at our side, we will keep our world safe, and protect our loved ones. No Darkness shall ever rule over us again." 

Barry turned and kissed his precious Hart. "Stronger together. Anytime you and your Guardian Orbs need my strength, my energies, they are yours, as much as you need. Just make sure you save me some to be able to get to work each morning." 

Hartley snorted. "How much energy do you need to sleep at your desk all day?" 

"Ever wonder just how I get that sleepy?" Barry shot back as he pulled his partner in closer. 

"Sure, sure, running around the City all night long when you should be ... " 

Barry kissed him again and let his sparks flow out freely into the chamber. The blue and green sparks that were roaming about, swirled around them to inspect their new friends. The Guardian Orbs glowed with pride. 

* * * *

"Mmm, your sparks make you smell even more delectable," Barry mumbled as he rolled over, pinning his partner beneath him. 

It was a full minute before Hartley responded, having taken a bit longer to merge his consciousness back into the outside world. "Good, hate to think of you being disgusted by my scent." 

"Never," Barry giggled and nuzzled into the side of Hartley's neck. "Whatever happens, we'll make sure Empath grows up right." 

Hartley sighed in pleasure. "Thank you for showing both Healing and Empath your loyalty. What you did in there, it was more than I could ever have hoped. You gave them your unconditional love, the very emotions you reserve only for me. To have you feel that strongly about my Guardian Orbs, to gain their unconditional acceptance of you ... " 

"Hush, I know," Barry whispered in Hart's ear. "It's an indescribable feeling. My love for you goes beyond all time and space, and I have more than enough of it to extend to your Healing and Empath. Ensuring they are safe, makes you safe as well. When you're safe, I feel safe. I'm at my strongest knowing you are well, especially when I'm the one making you feel good." 

"Mmm," was all Hartley said as Barry felt him wiggle until a very active erection slotted just right. 

"As happy as I am that you two literally just grew stronger together, might I suggest you wait until you're off _my_ Jet before getting all frisky? It's bad enough I need to resurface the back of _my_ Jet when I get home." 

The growly tone caused Barry to groan and Hartley to giggle. 

A moment later, the pilot's voice came over the speaker. 

"Five minutes until touchdown, kids! Make sure you're all strapped in snuggly and all pants are nicely secure. Bit of an electrical storm between the Gems, don't want any bodily fluids leaking out during the bumpy ride. Once again, thank you for flying with PalmerTech Airlines. It's been a real pleasure, and I do mean _pleasure_ being your pilot aboard this flight. Do fly again sometime, especially that young handsome one." 

Ray dutifully strapped himself in. Kyle finished the last page in his book and also strapped in. Barry glared down at a blushing Hartley, completely ignoring the order to strap in. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Gaaaah! What the heck do you have in your clothing case?" Barry whined as he failed miserably to pick up the piece of luggage. 

"Hmm?" Hartley glanced over to him and the bag in question. "Oh, the clothing are in the smaller bag next to it. That one holds my new gear." 

Shifting his gaze to the much smaller bag, Barry whistled. "That tiny thing holds your clothing? You certainly packed light. That bag can't possibly hold more than one change of clothing." 

Hartley snorted. "I did have more, a lot more, but then Floyd happened." 

Barry groaned then giggled. "Yeah, he owes me a pair of jeans. Those were my favourite." 

Hartley finished stacking the rest of the luggage by the door and returned back to Barry, still struggling with the large bag. "Knowing where I was going, and who was going to be there, I made certain all my favourites were left behind. But you're correct though, Floyd does owe us new wardrobes." 

"Mmm," Barry blissed at how his partner wrapped his arms around him. Normally, he's the one wrapping himself around Hartley but he had to admit, this felt really nice as well. 

After a few moments, he returned his attention to the bag. "Seriously, though, what's in this thing?" 

"Three short swords, five daggers, two dozen shuriken, three dozen bolts, two collapsible staves, a pair of wrist blades and a pair of wrist bolts." 

Seeing Barry's confusion at that last item, Hartley explained. "You know how Floyd has those gun attachments on his wrists? Exactly like that except instead of bullets, mine uses crossbow bolts. There's also a new pair of boots, gloves, belt, straps, and cases for everything." 

Barry paled at all the new gear, and felt immensely grateful that Hartley was his partner. He would really hate to be a target if they ever found themselves on opposite sides. 

"Want me to carry that?" Hartley asked. 

"Ungh, no, no, I got it, really!" Barry gasped out as he finally managed to move the bag an inch toward the door. 

Hartley patted him on the shoulder and went off to find Kyle, leaving Barry behind with the treacherous piece of luggage. 

Taking a step back, Barry studied the bag, from all angles. He poked and prodded at different areas, tried lifting it different ways, but the luggage still wouldn't budge. Tapping into the Speed Force, he made some progress but only another few inches. 

"Has to be some kind of trick to this blasted bag," Barry muttered as he stared at the bag. 

A few minutes later, having made no further progress, Kyle came along and neatly picked up the bag, whistling while heading to the door. He zipped over in front of the Hunter. 

"How the heck did you pick up that thing?" Barry demanded. 

"Energy," Kyle responded, indicating the tiny flow of his sparks into the handle. "Security measure, valuable items." 

"Of course that bag runs on energy," Barry muttered, sighed, then grinned. "Only you guys would come up with something so crazy that it turns into something crazy awesome." 

Stepping out of the Jet a few minutes later, Barry winced at the electricity dancing around the skies above them. Normally he wouldn't feel uneasy, but this wasn't like any electrical storm he had ever seen. 

"Ah, we'll just load these into the car," Hartley commented as he and Kyle hurried off. Turning, Barry understood their haste as, standing a few feet away, arms crossed, and very scowly looking, was Leonard. 

"Umm," Barry really didn't know what to say. 

"You skipped town," Leonard stated. 

"I left messages," Barry told him. He did leave messages, right? 

"You mean the crispy pile of paper that we found on the floor in front of the fridge?" Leonard kept his tone cool and Barry felt unsettled, wondering what could possibly be bothering his friend. 

"Text messages to your phone kept bouncing. Have you checked Mick's?" He couldn't help feeling irritated. After all, Leonard had been absent much of last week. 

Before Leonard could comment, Barry continued, his ire growing, "You made it quite clear last week that you were not to be disturbed. Mick told me not to worry, so I didn't worry but I don't deal too well with being shut out completely. Just because you didn't get any of my messages, it's not my problem, as I did leave messages. Besides, I do know how to take care of myself and can go wherever I want, whenever I want. Clear?" 

"Barry ... " 

"If you really wanted to know where I was, all you had to do was check in on my apartment; I did leave a note with Mrs Cleary as well, and over at STAR Labs. If you even thought to think about it for a moment, you would have known where I went, and likely why." 

Not wanting to listen to another word, Barry turned and headed for the car to check in on the others, intending to zip away afterward. He really didn't feel like going back with them right then, not when he's feeling so annoyed with Leonard. 

He had only gotten halfway when his entire body sparked, and not just his usual yellow-orange colours, but others mixed in as well. Blue, green, grey, purple ... he flashed bright red as he looked up, panic filling him. 

The electricity coursing through the skies appeared to have come together to form a single bolt, with a very specific destination in mind. 

"BARRY!" 

Despite the panic in Leonard's voice, Barry couldn't move as his legs seem to have frozen to the ground. He knew he shouldn't fear lightning, but this bolt, mere inches from his nose, scared him. It didn't feel normal. 

The sound was also weird as the air crackled around him. Then there's the humming noise mixed in. Plus the fact that the bolt remained frozen, still mere inches from his nose. 

"Gaaack!" Barry stumbled backward just as Leonard reached and caught him. 

"Move!" Leonard yelled and pushed him toward a ... barrier of sorts? 

Barry didn't think too much about it as he grasped Leonard's arm and pulled them out of the area. Tumbling through to the other side, he turned just in time to see the purple bubble dissipate as the bolt struck the ground. He floundered on the ground during the shockwave, momentarily deafened by the impact. 

" ... ary?" 

Blinking his eyes open, Barry found himself on his back, looking up into violet eyes that shimmered before settling back into icy blue ones. 

"Uh ... " He sat up and immediately turned to vomit. Whatever that bolt was, it definitely was not normal. 

A few minutes later, Barry managed to stand up with Hartley's assistance, Leonard having had moved off to talk with Kyle. 

"Easy, I got you," his partner spoke soothingly and Barry could feel the warm energies flowing into him. 

"Wha ... " Barry shook his head to clear his vision but that only made him feel worse. 

Hartley tightened his grip. "No idea. Never seen anything like this. Lightning doesn't behave like that." 

"How ... " Barry glanced back over to the Jet which had powered down completely. 

"They're fine. The Jet is well insulated against storms and electricity," Hartley confirmed. "Ray mentioned that he used my readings of your electricity to help him develop the new insulation." 

"You're handing out my personal information to others?!" If Hartley's intention was to get his mind off the near-miss of the bolt, he was doing a damn fine job of it. "Geezes, what else have you been spreading around? And to whom?? Damn, if Oliver ever found out that ... " 

Hartley kissed him to shut him up. "Oh, relax. Ray is one of us and it's always good to share valuable intel amongst our friends. And for the record, I haven't told Oliver anything, yet, but now that you mention it, I do want to show him some of my new bolts, maybe swap stories with Felicity ... " 

Barry groaned and fell back on the ground. "Just kill me already." 

"Only when you turn super-villain and there's no other way to take you down, and ONLY after I figure out how to resurrect you. Coming?" Hartley grinned and lightly kicked him. 

Barry growled fondly as he gazed up at the dark sky, a thought coming to mind. "What time is it anyway? There's only the hour in the difference and I thought we left in the morning, although in Gotham it's really difficult to tell." 

"Hmm," Hartley also glanced up then down at his watch. "It should only be around Noon but my watch stopped." 

More lightning flickers appeared in the sky, forming above them. 

"CRAP!" Barry bolted to his feet and zipped Hartley away just as another bolt struck the ground. The impact caused him to stumble, throwing them both to the ground. Wincing, he rolled over and spotted his partner a few feet away as more lightning crackled above them. Zipping over, he only had time to cover Hartley when the bolt struck. 

"Gaaaaaaahzzzzzt!" 

\----------------------------------------------

Dancing away from a couple of minor bolts, with Kyle shielding him, Leonard turned at that newest scream which quickly fizzled out. 

What he saw nauseated him. Barry's body was vibrating and sparking uncontrollably inside a half-erect shield that was full of cracks. It was a moment before the shield collapsed completely and he was able to make out Hartley's body beneath the speedster. 

Scrambling over, he could just barely make out Barry's rambling. 

"Okay, okay, we're okay, can't stop sparking ... " 

"Barry!" Leonard reached out to the trembling speedster but couldn't get close enough as sparks danced wildly around their host. 

"I got him," Kyle announced while wrapping misty tendrils around Barry. 

Leonard changed his focus to Hartley who hadn't moved and cupped the side of his face. "Hart?" 

An eye blinked open and Leonard let out a sigh of relief, despite how pained his Hart looked. "Going to get you out of here. Can you move?" 

The eye lidded and Leonard wasn't sure if his friend could understand him. 

"Kyle?" he glanced back over his shoulder at the misted Hunter. 

It was Barry that responded. "Gaaaaah, fine, fine, we're fine, too fine ... " 

Barry sparked for a few more seconds before each of the colours receded, leaving him only with his speed force sparks. "Daaaaamn, remind me not to get bolted anytime soon. Think I have enough in the reserves to last a lifetime, across the Multiverse!" 

"Can you focus enough to look in on Hart?" Leonard asked, watching Kyle solidify into his normal form. 

Barry immediately set to work, placing his hands on Hartley's chest, eyes sparking green. 

Sitting back on his heels, Leonard glanced around them and up at the sky. "This is not a normal electrical storm." 

"Agreed," Kyle commented. "Feels funny." 

"How so?" Leonard also felt uncomfortable, felt the strangeness in the air, but he knew the Hunter had something very specific in mind with that comment. 

"Different, more pulse, like a surge, rather than natural lightning," Kyle replied, peering up into the sky. "Feels erratic, yet contained." 

Leonard shuddered at those last words and glanced at Barry. "He'll be okay?" 

"Uncertain," came the cautious reply. "Like all energy contained, whether it be personal energy or of an external source, like bubbles, heat, lightning, build up too much, boom." 

"Gack! Too much, too much!" Hartley yelped as he tried to shove Barry off. 

"Sorry, sorry, guess I kinda got a bit overcharged," Barry explained while attempting to rein in his energies. 

" _Kinda_?! You got enough in you to ... MOVE!" 

Just as Hartley made the warning, Leonard felt it coming. He turned, arm outstretched, just as a Winged Beast flew in from above them. Mere inches from spearing those vicious talons into their Hunter's back, Leonard's energies hurled outward to erect a shield that froze the Beast in place. He also saw an extra layer of shielding, shimmering brightly, merge with his own. 

"Feels stronger," came the awed tone. 

Glancing beside him, Leonard saw Hartley's arm also outstretched with blue energies flowing out, his other arm pressed down on Barry's chest protectively. Barry was blinking rapidly, likely stunned. Kyle was half-turned but frozen like the Beast. 

Wincing, Leonard was feeling the strain. "Can't hold it." Arm collapsing, his purple shield dissipated, leaving only the bright blue one. 

"I got it, holding steady," Hartley declared. 

Strong and steady, Leonard had to agree as he watched the Winged Beast bounce off the shield; nothing at all like the broken shield he witnessed a few short minutes ago. 

Kyle also came back to life as the Hunter finished pulling out his gun, fully turned and blasted a second Winged Beast that zeroed in on them. 

Leonard blinked at that, wondering how Kyle could get a shot off through the shield. 

"I have him attuned," Hartley informed him, answering the unspoken thought. "Only his custom pieces can get through but that's enough for ... " 

The sentence trailing off, Leonard felt another prickle in the air. Gazing upward, his eyes widened at the multiple tendrils of bolts ready to slam into Hart's shield. He heard the Hunter take out two more Winged Beasts, saw the blue shield gain a misty layer and a green layer, heard Hartley's curse, and, despite the pains coursing through his left arm, Leonard held up both to add whatever energies he had left to Hart's shields. 

Five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen ... Leonard grunted and collapsed with the strain, both arms burning. Looking around, Kyle had pocketed his gun and was shielding them from the worst of the electricity through mist absorption, Hartley was straining to keep his two layers of shielding up with both arms, and Barry seemed to be motionless. 

Blinking, he realised that wasn't quite accurate, as Leonard could see an energy transfer from the speedster into the empath. 

"Losing it!" Hartley warned as the electricity intensified. "Kyle?" 

Seeing the shields flickering caused Leonard to panic, but only slightly, despite a new bolt forming overhead and three more Winged Beasts hovering about; he briefly wondered how they weren't being affected by the electrical storm. He didn't have the time to pursue that thought as Hart's shields collapsed, Hart was shoved into him as Barry shot up to his feet in an impressive display of sparks, Kyle redirected his efforts to cover Leonard and Hartley, and he also felt some of Barry's energies mixed into the mist barrier. 

Holding on tightly to his precious Hart, Leonard winced as the bolt struck the ground, feeling the shockwave. That was quickly followed by more gunfire and two thuds as bullets found their targets. 

"Len?" Hartley shifted in an attempt to wiggle free. "That bolt redirected." 

Loosening his hold, Leonard pushed himself up into a kneeling position. He nearly lost his balance again as the final Winged Beast thudded to the ground a few feet away. "Where?" 

He caught Hartley around the waist as the other stumbled in his haste to stand up. Standing up himself, Leonard turned to see what Hart was looking at behind him. What he saw was not what he expected to see. 

An energy bubble was seen, full of erratic sparks in varying colours, growing in size as it absorbed the surrounding electricity. Within was their Flash, very much in control of his Force Bubble. That was the part that was not surprising. 

What _was_ surprising, however, were two other individuals within that shield that were working on some sort of large device. Leonard could just barely make out the Atom suit amongst all those sparks but wasn't certain to the identity of the other. 

"Cal," Hartley supplied the answer. "He must have figured something out." 

"Should we ... " 

Hartley shook his head, interrupting him. "Too dangerous over there. My shields are shot, wouldn't be able to protect us." 

Leonard had to agree with that as he also didn't have enough energy left to produce any sort of barrier. "How ... " 

"Gotham," Hartley replied, keeping an eye on the skies for any possible threat. "Empath emerged, Floyd helped me construct the shields. Still too new for this level of usage, however. Was only able to get both layers that strong with Barry's extra dosage of energies." 

It was with that revelation that Leonard realised that he had been thinking of Hartley as an Empath since their arrival. "Huh ... " was his only comment as he thought about that. 

Hartley turned back to him with a query of his own. "How about you?" 

"Not sure," Leonard shrugged. "As you know, I already had the network inside of me but it was only on the weekend when the energies became active." 

Thinking back to Saturday night, Leonard was with Mick over at the Rogue Base going over plans for an upcoming heist when one of Axel's noisy alarms blared. A swarm of Meta Bugs had targeted the Base, complete with electric stingers. He wasn't sure how but Leonard was able to produce a barrier that froze every single bug that entered the shield, along with the rest of the Rogues, save himself and Mick. His partner then burned all the bugs to a crisp. 

Leonard shook his head and sighed. "Like yours, my energies are still too new. I couldn't hold the barrier as long as you could. I don't even know what it is I have." 

"You don't have the experience of tapping into Barry's resources or being properly fed his energies," Hartley informed him. "I have plenty of that experience, especially with Healing, but the shields come straight from Empath. Our shields will become stronger in time." 

"Sooner the better," Leonard muttered, not liking the increase in Meta Beasts nor the strange weather patterns. 

A loud humming soon filled the air as the pair turned back toward the Force Bubble, watching as the bubble collapsed and the three occupants materialised next to them. The electricity above the device sputtered and died out. 

"Pulse storm," Calvin commented. 

"How ... " Leonard began but the young tech continued. 

"No weather acts like this, got me to thinking. There are pulses in the sky." 

"Some sort of transmitter?" Hartley asked. "How? Where?" 

Calvin shook his head. "Haven't figured that out yet but I can bet you that is what's causing the irregular weather patterns and the increase in Meta Beasts, or at least, their aggressiveness." 

As likely as that sounded, Leonard wasn't too sure. "Can't be. Those Avians weren't affected at all by the electricity." 

"Huh," Calvin mused that over. "Immunity?" 

Barry snorted which caught the attention of the others. "Lightning is super effective against winged creatures, quad effective against water birds." 

"Unless you're a rock bird," Ray chimed in. "Might nudge it off course slightly but no damage; might enrage it, though." 

"Avians' more beast with wings than pure avians," Kyle spoke up which startled Leonard as he hadn't heard the Hunter speak in awhile. 

"So, the lightning should just ground them, not take them out completely. Normal damage," Barry nodded. 

"Zero damage," Ray stated. "They didn't get struck once. I was watching the monitors from the Jet and they flew neatly amongst the bolts, almost as if they were on the same team." 

"Party immunity?" Calvin thought that over. "Maybe one of them erected a Light Screen?" 

"No, the electricity avoided them completely, not bouncing off a Screen," Ray said. "My guess is they were controlling the pulse storm." 

Tuning the others out, Leonard turned back to Hartley. "What do you think?" 

"Hmm, what they're saying makes sense. It is very likely there are pulse devices scattered throughout the sky above Central City but how high up they are, or where they are located, no idea. I'm sure between Cal and myself, we can rig up something to track those pulses, find them, destroy them. I did sense through Barry the humming sound when that first bolt struck. Was difficult to concentrate on the sound afterward with everything else going on. Still, even if we go tracking down the pulse transmitters, regular weather could interfere, sending us off course. Unless completely focused, it's difficult to tell the difference between a natural thunderstorm and a pulse storm." 

Leonard didn't like it but decided to voice his thought. "Mardon would be our best option to determine which is true weather and which is affected by those transmitters." 

As expected, Hartley winced at the idea; he had not yet gotten over what Mardon and the others had done to Barry. Leonard suspected that Hart would never be able to let that go. 

"Fine," Hartley growled. "But I don't want that bastard getting anywhere near Barry." 

"Of course," Leonard agreed as he briefly tuned back into the conversation around them. Unsurprisingly, they were now discussing how a couple of water beasts can be immune to lightning due to the rubbery skin they have; Barry and Calvin both had their cell phones out with a gaming app running, arguing over the benefits of one team over the other. 

Tuning them back out, Leonard glanced around them. The sky was brightening up since the pulse transmitters in the immediate area had been shorted out, a light breeze was blowing around them, and Leonard was reminded of how hot the day was. 

Turning, he headed towards the car, Hartley following, leaving the others behind. Leonard did catch the words of the Jet's pilot heading over to the group, announcing that the sky was clear for flying. Reaching the car, he noticed another one parked beside it. 

"Cal's," Hartley confirmed. 

Leonard grinned as they piled into Kyle's car, and drove off, leaving the others behind. Based on how heated their conversation was, Leonard figured they wouldn't notice their absence for quite some time. 

"What's on your mind?" Hartley asked, turning to him. 

"Thinking about dinner," Leonard admitted. "Need to replenish our energies, right? Afterward, you can help me figure out my own Force." 

He didn't need to say what was truly on his mind as Hartley positively radiated with anticipation. With Mick out at the Base that day and Kyle staying with Barry, they had plenty of time for discussion and other enjoyable activities. 

\----------------------------------------------

Tuesday morning dawned way too brightly and way too early. Nearly asleep on his feet, Barry wandered into the CCPD just after 10:00, mentally reviewing plans for a new ruling where no work should begin before Noon. 

He had just put a foot on the first step leading up to his Lab when the Captain growled out to him. 

"ALLEN! My office, preferably now!" 

Barry sighed as he turned around, aiming for the Captain's office. He really hoped that whatever it was that the Captain was growly about now would be resolved quickly as all he wanted to do was get upstairs and have a nap. He was still feeling the drain from the electrical storm yesterday. 

Tapping on the open door, Barry entered the office. "Cap?" 

"You skipped work yesterday." 

Despite the truth in that single statement, Barry still winced. "Uh ... yeah?" What could he say, really? That he zipped over to Gotham on the weekend, assisted with breaking someone out of a high-security psychiatric facility, hung out with some of the most dangerous people on the planet ... yeah, the Captain would _love_ to hear all that, no doubt. 

Barry shifted on his feet, hands in pockets, while he waited for Captain Singh to continue. Glancing around the office, he saw that it was immaculately clean as it always was, even with four lidded boxes stacked up next to the desk. He immediately relaxed as he saw the sleeping feline on the desk, curled up on her favourite blanket. 

"I'm sure you had your reasons, especially when you dashed off to Gotham," the Captain continued as Barry blinked, wondering how the Captain knew. "Like the day you skipped last week," Barry winced at that memory. "However, unlike last week, you failed to check in at some point in the day yesterday. Now, people around here are starting to believe I'm getting soft. You wouldn't want my reputation to go that way, do you?" 

"Uh ... no, sir?" Again, really, what could Barry say? That the Captain's softness is purely due to Cleo and Jitters that he often let roam around the precinct? 

"Good, you understand me," Captain Singh tapped the top box next to his desk. "Originally, I had two boxes here for the day you skipped last week. I added two more. For each day you skip in the future, there will be another two boxes. After today, I'm sure you'll think twice about skipping work again, and if you do, maybe you'll think to check in with me first?" 

"Uh ... sure?" Barry swallowed, wondering what could possibly be in those boxes that would warrant his complete obedience in following work schedules. 

"Good. Get these upstairs, and get to work. I expect them to be fully counted and sorted by colour. Ignore the other boxes up there for now. Those are not a priority and Hartley can take care of them tomorrow. He will be in tomorrow?" 

Barry nodded. "Should be. He's still recovering from Gotham but he plans to be here tomorrow." Recovering is putting it rather mildly, Barry thought. When he checked in on his way to work, Hartley was still sound asleep. Which tends to happen especially when new powers have just activated, especially when forced into heavy usage shortly afterward. 

"Good," Captain Singh repeated and tapped the boxes again. "Get these out of here." 

"Right," Barry dutifully obeyed as he picked up the first box. It wasn't an overly large box, nor was it heavy at all, so he stacked on a second box; together they came up to his nose, enough to see over anyway. He dashed the first two boxes up and was headed to the stairs with the final two when he was stopped by a strong arm draping across his shoulders. 

"Box duty, huh, Allen?" 

"Uh ... I deal with boxes daily?" Barry glanced over to see the sparkle in his friend's eyes and immediately heard him snort. 

"Not these ones, I can assure you," Kenneth tightened his grip across the shoulders. "Cap gave me a sneak-peek and I can promise you that what you have in those boxes, I want no part of." 

Barry groaned, the temptation to dump the boxes out the window growing stronger. 

"However," Kenneth continued and provided him with that devilish smile, "You manage to get these boxes done, I'm sure we can swing you a spot at our table for dinner tonight. They seem to like you there, especially with the nice reviews in the papers and on social media." 

Barry's stomach automatically growled at the news, and all thoughts of dumping the boxes out the window were forgotten. Instead, a new thought entered his mind. 

"How is it that you and Jacks can get a table so easily? Last I checked, the Italian place is still Reservation Only." 

Kenneth laughed. "Have you forgotten? The Boss' fiancé's uncle owns the place. Rob has a permanent table there. Me and Jacks take their table when they have other plans. I'm sure the table has been making its rounds around the precinct; I know Gagne has the table reserved next week as it's Emma's birthday and she's been dying to check the place out." 

Barry beamed at the news. Having eaten there himself, he knew that Emma would be delighted with the place. "Sounds great!" 

"ALLEN!" 

Barry "Eep'ed" at the tone and froze halfway up the stairs. Turning, he saw Captain Singh glaring up at him. 

"Before you go to dinner tonight, I'm stopping by at 7:00. Have you checked in with your physician?" 

Barry shook his head. "No, they're gone to Starling this week." Which was true, based on the two-hour rambling holovid message that Cisco left behind at the Labs when Barry checked in yesterday afternoon. 

"Humph, still need to be checked over. No telling what you may have picked up out there. Make sure you're at home by 7." 

"Dinner's at 8," Kenneth declared as he released Barry. "We'll pick you up at 7:30." 

"Right," Barry confirmed and hurried up the stairs. 

Boxes lined up on the floor in front of him, Barry settled down into his chair, pondering what could possibly be inside them. Lifting a lid off one, he blinked at the contents. Reaching a hand in, he wiggled around trying to see if something was buried underneath but nope, the only contents were confetti, circular, in various colours, and small. Very small. So small he had to pluck out a couple that wedged up beneath his fingernails. 

Barry sighed as he removed the other three lids, revealing the exact same contents. How the heck was he supposed to sort these AND count them by the end of the decade? His stomach growled, reminding him of the dinner date later that evening. 

The fourth box was slightly different from the other three. For one thing, only half the box was filled with actual confetti. There was a lot of charred confetti as well and some burnt to a complete crisp so that they crumbled when touched. Reaching a hand inside that box, Barry felt soft fur and heard a hiccup, watched as a few more confetti turned black. 

Barry really hoped that the Captain wouldn't penalise him for not counting the crispy confetti. 

\----------------------------------------------

"BARRY!" 

Asleep at his desk, back to the door, Barry jolted upward. He nearly toppled off the stool he was sitting on, having completely forgotten that Blaze took over his chair amidst a nest of purple confetti. 

"Easy, I got you." 

Smooth arms caught him before he tipped over and it was a moment before he woke up enough to register Jimmy's presence. 

"Ah, I'm fine, Jimmy, you can let go now." Barry attempted to stand but Jimmy held him down. 

"I'm not too sure that you are, Barry," Jimmy spoke softly. "You're looking a bit pale. Did you catch something over in Gotham? I do hope you didn't catch whatever bug Hartley caught. I'd hate to see you not being yourself." Wait, did Jimmy's voice tense at the end there? 

"Uh, I'm fine, really, no bug." A sneeze caught his attention and he winced as his neat pile of purple confetti turned to ash. Maybe the Captain wouldn't notice that there used to be purple confetti in the boxes. 

"Good!" Jimmy's voice turned more cheerful and released his hold. Barry started to stand again when he suddenly felt something cold on his back. 

"I'm glad you're feeling okay as I really need your opinion on something," Jimmy pressed harder, pushing him into the desk. 

"Uh, Jimmy?" Barry wiggled but the cold metal dug in sharply, causing him to wince at the pain. It didn't feel like any muzzle he felt before. 

Jimmy eased up on the pressure a bit and slid the muzzle up the spine, pressed into the back of the neck, and slid down again to the lower back. "New design. How does this one feel?" 

Focusing on the new gun, like how he did with Floyd's custom sniper, Barry felt its presence, how the air moved around it. Even though he wasn't able to see it from this angle, he could feel the outline of the gun, its length, the barrel, the two muzzles ... "Two?!" 

"Nicely done!" Jimmy chuckled as he lowered the muzzles and grazed them along Barry's crack. "Yes, this new custom piece has two barrels, two muzzles. Slightly longer than our standard issues, and the grip itself is more ridged so it won't slip out of the hand so easily." 

Barry felt the length of the barrel, barrels actually, as Jimmy ran the new custom between his legs. He felt the gun twist around so he was now rubbing against the underside, and the trigger guard, which felt different, somehow. Jimmy pressed the guard into his balls and ... "Aaagh!" 

"Thought you might like that," Jimmy laughed lightly. "Trigger guard is also ridged with a little extra bonus. Anyone who is stupid enough to pick up my gun will feel that nice little jolt." 

"Okay, okay, neat bonus but can you pull it away now?" Barry tried to shift away but Jimmy had stepped in closer, keeping him pressed against the desk. 

"Hmm, not scared of a little gun, are you?" Jimmy wrapped one arm around his waist while roaming the custom piece along his thighs. "Figure with all you saw in Gotham, this li'l thing would be nothing. My offer is still open for some _private_ training. How about tonight?" 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked as he felt a slight pinch in his side and lost all sense of the new gun. 

"Good, I will stop by just after 7 tonight," Jimmy continued, ignoring Barry's hesitation. "Got three more custom pieces I want to show you, different sizes, for different purposes." 

Barry shuddered as Jimmy's voice lowered into a husky tone, right at his ear. He really needed to step away but Jimmy held him tighter, sliding the gun around to the front. He also did not need a fully active erection right then. 

"Mmm, I feel your anticipation," Jimmy licked the side of his neck while pressing the muzzles into his hardness. 

For a few minutes, Barry's thoughts faltered as Jimmy continued roaming his gun along the front of his body, his other hand snaking up inside his shirts. He felt the coolness of the fingers right where he didn't want them to be but couldn't prevent himself from leaning back into the other. 

"That's it," Jimmy spoke soothingly. "Relax and everything will be alright. Nothing to fear. This is only a small preview for tonight." 

Eyes glazing over, breathing ragged, he felt the pinch on a nipple which his attention was now completely focused on. Cool fingers rubbed that nipple, sharp nails grazed that nipple, pierced his nipple, pulled his nipple. His eyes bulged as he felt something inserted into his nipple. 

"Easy, now," Jimmy soothed him by licking the edge of his jaw. "This is only to remind you about tonight." 

"Ungh ... " Soon as those sharp nails retreated, Barry felt a tingling in his nipple, and he didn't want that tingling, didn't want whatever it was that Jimmy inserted into his nipple. He had plans tonight ... whatever those plans were. 

"Shh, I'm here, nothing to worry about." 

Jimmy removed his hand from beneath Barry's shirts and caught his jaw, turning his head so their eyes met; Jimmy's eyes seemed to have turned a glossy black. Barry could only blink as the rest of his body turned around, his back now pressing into the desk. 

"One final thing I need to do before I go," Jimmy said as he leaned in. 

Barry really wished he could get away but he couldn't think of how he could do so. For that matter, he really couldn't think of _why_ he needed to get away. 

His eyes half-lidded as he tasted Jimmy's lips, felt his breath in his mouth, felt that tongue sliding in. He shuddered again, all conscious thought dissipating as he felt cool metal press under his chin, tilting his head back. He barely registered the sound of a click, but he certainly felt his cock twitch, straining against his jeans. He also barely registered something small dropping down his throat, but he certainly felt cool air now on his cock. 

What seemed like forever minutes later, Jimmy pulled away with a final lick along Barry's lips, a final pinch to his dripping cock tip, and slid the gun up. Instinctively, Barry wrapped his lips around the muzzles as they slid in along his tongue. Slightly wider than the standard CCPD issue revolver, the gun still slid in easily and pressed against the back of his throat. He didn't flinch as the trigger guard pressed against his lower lip, instead letting himself embrace the tingling sensation. 

"Damn, you look _so good_ like this, I almost don't want to wait until tonight," Jimmy sighed as he slowly pulled his gun out, glistening with saliva. "Alas, still got some cases to finish up and the Captain has been more cranky than usual lately." 

Focusing on his breathing, Barry felt the tip of the muzzles leave his lips, sucked in the two damp fingers that appeared, and watched as those muzzles were neatly placed between Jimmy's lips. He didn't even notice those glossy eyes staring at him as he was utterly captivated by the tongue swirling along the barrels. He knew he shouldn't be turned on by the sight but alas, here he was with a cock rapidly turning into a faucet. 

Jimmy chuckled as he pulled both the gun and his fingers out of their respective mouths. The sound broke the enchantment and Barry blinked as the gun was put away. 

"Now then," Jimmy began as he stepped away. "I'm sure you have a lot of work to do. I will see you tonight." 

With a final tap to the chest, Jimmy turned and headed out of the Lab. Barry hadn't registered the CSI leaving as that tap was directed at his pierced nipple, which caused him to feel the electrical jolts, which in turn caused his orgasm. His body shuddered uncontrollably as he spilled out onto the floor. 

\----------------------------------------------

Late that afternoon, after checking in on the camera feeds, Leonard didn't know whether to groan or laugh at how Barry's Lab was covered in confetti. When he tuned in, his speedster was sitting in Hartley's chair, head on the desk, sound asleep. The amusing part of the feed was watching three kittens running through several piles of confetti. 

One good thing about these camera feeds is that everything is recorded on to Hartley's private servers. Leonard had no idea just how big the servers were, or even _where_ exactly they were located, but he was more than content enough with being able to review this particular footage anytime he wished. 

A few minutes later, three of Barry's precinct friends appeared. One joined in with the kittens, the other two began poking the speedster, in hopes of waking him up. 

Seeing as his Flash was well, Leonard flicked the monitor off and stood up. Stretching, releasing some of the tension that built up in his neck and shoulder muscles, he aimed for the bedroom that neatly separated his own from his partner's. Pausing, he reflected for a moment on the room choices. 

When he first acquired this place, it was nothing more than an abandoned warehouse, but with a lot of fixing up, it turned into a home, barely any hint of warehouseness to it at all. Initially, it was just going to be the two of them, but Leonard listened to his gut and ensured there was a third bedroom sectioned off. Thinking it would make for a good guest room, he soon realised that he was styling it for only one particular guest, and situated it in the centre for extra protection. The room acquired its intended guest quite frequently, then was abandoned for a better part of a year. During that time, when Leonard needed to calm down, he and Mick renovated the room, improving it, and added the en-suite. Now the room had its guest back, permanently. 

Smiling, he nudged the door open to that room, revealing its sleeping occupant. Leonard felt immensely pleased that Hartley decided to stay, despite how that decision came about. Hart didn't like what the other Rogues had done to Barry and effectively cut them out of his life. 

Now, he laid there, peacefully asleep, stretched out against his guardian's side. Kyle was sitting up, reading a book, with a protective arm around his charge; Leonard could see some of the Hunter's energies seeping into that sleeping form. 

"Everything okay?" Kyle inquired as he set his book aside. 

Leonard nodded as he approached the bed, resting a hand on that precious back. "Barry will be late tonight, dinner plans with the precinct guys." 

"I like them," Kyle beamed, knowing full well who the precinct guys were. 

Leonard hadn't really encountered Kenneth and Jackson yet but he knew enough about the pair to trust them. At the very least, Hartley, Barry, Mick and even Kyle all trusted them, and Leonard trusted his closest friends completely. Still, that didn't mean he wouldn't do his own research into Central City's most dedicated Disturbance Calls officers. 

The more he researched, tapping into the CCPD's database, and viewing the video footage from Hartley's cameras, the more he grew to like them. What sealed his trust was how much they protected both Barry and Hartley at the precinct. He even saw the footage from last week when the pair had brought Barry home and tossed him into bed. The only times the officers were behaving indecently were with each other. 

"They're quite the interesting pair," Leonard agreed. "As uncomfortable as I am with having more people know the truth about our kids, I feel better knowing that those two are watching their backs." 

"Same," Kyle confirmed. "Trustworthy, loyal, dedicated. They will never hurt Barry or Hart." 

Leonard hummed in agreement as he sat down gently on the bed. Opening himself up, he let some of his new energies emerge, mingling with the grey-white mixture of the Hunter's energies, watching as the combined energies flowed into Hartley's body. 

He had known for awhile that he had an energy network within his body as it was Hartley that revealed that information to him. However, what he hadn't expected was to be an actual Force bearer. Like Hart, Leonard was no Meta, yet had the proper energies, the proper qualifications, to be a Force user under the jurisdiction of the Speed Force. He still had no idea how he came to control Time, but he figured, in time, he'll understand, whenever he gets a proper explanation that wasn't rambling chaos. Hartley had begun to explain yesterday, quite well in fact, when Barry interrupted with a greatly mangled version before zipping off again. 

Still, Leonard reflected, he couldn't complain, _refuses_ to complain, because with the awakening of his Force powers, meant he could better look out for his precious loved ones. 

Feeling the blue-green energies mixing in with his and Kyle's energies, Leonard felt at peace, watching his Hart relax and beam up at him through sleepy eyes. 

\----------------------------------------------

A few minutes before 7:00, Barry collapsed on the couch, exhausted. If he ever sees a single piece of confetti again, he vows to give it the most horrible death imaginable. Still, he had to give credit to the Captain for coming up with such a brutal punishment; there was nobody else at the CCPD even capable of colour sorting all that confetti in a single day, twice! It did get immensely easier when majority of them turned black, courtesy of the newest mascot, Blaze. 

Barry winced as he had fallen on his still-sore pierced nipple. Whatever possessed Jimmy to think that Barry even wanted piercings, he had no idea. He just hoped that Jimmy would remove it, and soon. Try as he might, Barry just could not phase or vibrate the blasted thing off. For that matter, he couldn't phase or vibrate period. At least he still had his speed, sort of. Speed kind of sputtered out in the middle of an intersection on his way home and he barely avoided getting struck by a fuel truck. 

He was considering sending a text message over to Hartley to see if he was awake when someone tapped at the door. Groaning, he dropped his cell on the table and buried his face into the cushion, hoping that whoever it was would go away. 

Unfortunately, he had forgotten to lock the door as whoever it was, came right in. 

"Hey, Barry, you awake?" came the very familiar voice. 

"No," came his muffled voice. 

A familiar snort was heard. "He was barely awake all day. I'll just be over here." 

"Sure," the first voice said as Barry covered his head with another cushion. "This shouldn't take long. I'll be over in a few." 

He heard the door close followed by the removal of shoes and a jacket. A moment later, the cushion on his head disappeared. He glowered up at the too-cheerful doctor. 

"Sheesh, you're in some fine mood," Rob commented as he placed a hand on Barry's back. He blinked as he felt those fingers probe along his spine; after all, he was only wearing his undershirt so every gentle press of the fingers felt far more pleasurable than they had any right to be. 

Fingers soon found their way along Barry's right side and he flinched. 

"Easy, I got you," Rob said soothingly as he inspected the area. "Can you roll a bit?" 

Barry rolled halfway onto his back, bringing his right side up for easier inspection, and feeling relieved at the removal of pressure from his nipple. Unfortunately, Rob noticed and pulled his shirt up further to inspect the painful nub. 

"Hmm, didn't think you were a piercing kind of guy," Rob commented as he tapped the swollen nub. "Looks painful. When did you get that done?" 

Barry remained silent as Rob tended to the nipple, cleaning it and draping a cool cloth over it. 

"Anyway, should be fine in a couple days but seriously, that particular piercing is much too dangerous for the inexperienced. It's more for the hard-core type of guy who's had piercings for years. Looks to me that this one was only just done today, and a rather shoddy job was done of it. Whoever you got to do the job, certainly didn't take any precautionary measures." 

Barry sighed, not wanting to discuss Jimmy with Rob. Fortunately, he didn't have to as Rob went back to inspecting his side, tapping around until he flinched again. 

"Sore?" Rob inquired as he pressed lightly, feeling around for something. 

Barry had to think about that. He certainly wasn't feeling any pain but he had no idea why he flinched. He shook his head. 

Rob frowned as he pulled out some sort of device out of his bag and placed it on the questionable area. Barry watched a few moments as Rob focused on the readings. 

Seeing the inquiring look, Rob spoke up, "Calvin came up with this device to assist with finding bugs. Seems you did catch one." Pulling the device away, Rob circled the area with a marker. "How's your healing?" 

"Uh ... " 

"Nevermind," Rob sighed. "Considering the state of that nipple, I'm guessing not too good right now. I need to get that bug out but without your healing, it's going to hurt like hell." 

Barry blinked, wondering how Rob could possibly know about his healing powers. 

"Oh, come on, Barry, it's me. I've known about your powers since the beginning, remember? Plus, I got the previous bug out of you, during that last big crime scene. You can trust me." 

"Huh?" Barry remembered that big crime scene day but he didn't really remember too much aside from somehow having appeared back at the precinct and leaving with Hart, Joe and Mick. He couldn't remember Rob being around. 

"Ah, you likely don't remember. You were pretty out of it, after all," Rob chuckled as he inspected his incision blade. 

"Wait a second, you're not gonna cut me open?!" Barry whined as he felt the coolness of the rubbing alcohol on his skin. 

"Of course I am," Rob assured him. "I'm guessing that bug is interrupting your healing. Soon as it's removed, the better you'll be. Trust me." 

Barry groaned as he shifted around on the couch so that he was fully on his back with his right side on the outside. "Fine, just hurry up." 

Rob smiled. "Good boy. Hold steady now." 

Holding steady certainly was not easy once he felt the blade's tip on his skin. Holding steady became much easier once the incision was done and Rob began inserting his fingers, as Barry had then passed out. 

\----------------------------------------------

Rob was worried. 

About the bug, the nipple, the lack of powers, Barry himself. Even though he hadn't personally known Barry for long, Rob knew all about him through the news, social media, his fiancé. Rob knew enough about Barry to fully like and appreciate the young hero. However, this Barry, at this present moment, bothered Rob. 

He first sensed something was wrong when Barry didn't answer the door. Then the door had been left unlocked, Barry's mood was dark, and the nipple piercing really bothered Rob as he sensed that Barry didn't want it. Then there's the newest bug that he had picked up. He also suspected that Barry didn't want to talk about whatever was going on. 

He worried when Barry passed out but kept his focus on pulling the bug out. He really worried when Barry didn't regain consciousness immediately. Inspecting the incision, Rob cleaned and taped a gauze over it. Stitches had never been necessary with the speedster, but he did worry about the wound not yet closing. 

Exiting the bathroom after having washed his hands, Rob found three of their friends inspecting their sleeping friend. 

"That looks painful," Jackson commented. 

"Humph," Kenneth replied. 

"At least the bug is now deactivated. Oh, hey, Rob!" Calvin beamed over at him. 

"What are you guys doing here?" Rob asked as he cleaned his instruments, placing them back in his bag. 

"We did have dinner plans, but ... " Jackson shrugged while Kenneth looked over the piercing. 

"This doesn't look good," Kenneth declared. "Barry would never have such a thing done. He doesn't do piercings, especially not ones that are constantly sending out small shocks." 

"Let me see," Calvin crouched down to inspect the nipple piercing, feeling it with his fingers. He immediately flinched back at a jolt. "Oww, you call that a small shock?!" 

"Odd," Kenneth mumbled as he pressed on the nipple. "I only get a small shock. Doc?" 

"I hadn't felt anything," Rob commented as he placed his fingers on the nipple. He shook his head. "Nothing." 

Jackson revealed he felt a small shock, just like Kenneth. 

"You must be immune," Kenneth told him. "Cal's unique energy source likely causes the increased shock he felt." 

Calvin nodded. "Makes sense. But why would Barry have this inserted? It's not like him. It's not even a material that he likes." 

"Oh?" Rob's interest piqued as he searched his bag for metal cutters. 

"Yeah, Barry would only ever have anything of Hart's making, preferably Dwarf Star or Lubrilon materials. This piercing did not come from Hart at all." Calvin growled as he received another strong jolt. "I can't even get close enough to try removing it." 

Taking in that new information with great interest, Rob found the cutters and moved back over to Barry. He winced as the gauze in the side leaked out blood. "Whatever this piercing is, it's now the prime suspect in holding back his healing." 

"I'll check the footage, see what I can find out," Calvin announced as the youngster headed over to the surveillance computer, Kenneth in tow. 

"Right, time to get this blasted thing off," Rob muttered as Jackson held Barry down. With the steadiness only an experienced surgeon could master, Rob positioned the cutters in place and neatly snipped off one side of the piercing. With nimble fingers, he gently tugged on the other side, watching the bar slide out. 

"Fucking, christ," Jackson hissed as Rob winced, watching the blood spurt out due to the barbs on the piercing. "Not bloody likely he would approve of that." 

"Gaaaack!" Barry shot right up, eyes wild in panic. Jackson sat down on the couch and immediately wrapped his arms lightly around his waist. 

"Easy, Barry, I got you, we're here, you're okay," Jackson spoke soothingly while Rob dropped the piercing into a small Ziploc bag, sealing it shut. 

Getting a damp cloth, Rob dabbed gently at the nipple, relief flooding over him as the bleeding stopped, the holes closing over. Another couple minutes, the nipple turned a freshly renewed pink. Removing the gauze, the incision had also closed over, the skin turning pink as well. He cleaned off the dried blood while Jackson continued holding a trembling Barry. 

"Got something," Calvin announced as the door opened and closed. Leaving the two on the couch, Rob headed over to Calvin, David following close behind. 

"What is it?" Rob asked, glancing at the monitor. All he saw were six panels of no-signal snow. 

"Hartley's cameras?" David inquired. 

"Yeah," Calvin confirmed. "All six blinked out at the same time today in the Lab. Here," Calvin rewound the feed until they were looking at a sleeping Barry from six different angles. They watched as Barry jolted awake and the six cameras went offline. Fast forwarding, the cameras came back online with Barry fumbling his pants back on. 

"I don't know about you guys but I have never known Hart's cameras to fizzle out like that." 

"Some sort of interference," Jackson mused as he came up behind them. "Something happened during that time." 

Kenneth snorted. "No doubt. Allen never fumbles with his pants at work when Hartley's not around. Not a single camera picked up anything?" 

Calvin shook his head. "None that I've found so far. None of Hart's cameras worked, and none of the actual CCPD cameras either. Still, I thought I caught a glimpse of a stray signal, give me a minute." 

While Calvin set to work trying to find that stray signal, Rob glanced over to the couch. "Where's Barry?" 

"Mumbled something about Hartley and zipped off. Whatever's bugging him, Hart is the best one to figure it out." 

Rob had to agree with Jackson's comment, seeing as how close Barry and Hartley are. 

"Got it! Weird angle, though," Calvin full-screened the feed and they immediately got a close-up of the floor. "This one has audio." Calvin turned up the volume as they heard someone call out Barry's name, and the camera raised up to catch Jimmy coming into view. 

"Ah, it's a sensor camera, activates with movement," Calvin awed as the camera aimed toward Barry at his desk. "From the angle, must be on Hart's desk. Never knew he had this particular camera." 

David hushed the young Tech as they witnessed what went on during the blackout of the main cameras. Rob felt his own uneasiness grow, felt his partner bristle beside him, as they watched the CSI dangerously molesting Barry. However he did it, Jimmy was the one that inserted that piercing, and Rob was 99% positive that Jimmy also gave Barry that pulse bug. 

"Fucking hell," David spat out; Rob rarely ever heard him curse that strongly in front of others. 

Calvin sighed as Jimmy left, shutting the feed off. "Never liked that asshole. Can anything be done, Cap?" 

It was Rob who answered while his partner continued seething. "No. That's an unsanctioned piece of equipment that we never knew about, it would never hold up in court." 

Kenneth spoke up next. "All we can do is keep an eye on the bastard in case he tries something else. Always suspected he was up to something." 

"Everything okay?" 

All five heads snapped around and Rob felt relieved at seeing Barry Allen standing there looking perfectly healthy. 

"Where the blazes were you?" Kenneth growled but Rob only heard the concern in that tone, no anger. 

Barry blushed and Rob realised that the speedster had changed his clothes. "Ah, wanted to check on Hart seeing as you guys were busy with something. He's doing much better, he'll be around tomorrow. Definitely." 

He heard David sigh beside him, relaxing. "Good. Sooner he gets back to my precinct, the more work that will actually get done." 

Barry blushed even further and turned away, but not before Rob noticed the very visible twitch. He hid a smile, having a pretty good idea what Barry and Hartley were up to during those few minutes. 

"Right, then," Rob spoke up and directed his stern gaze at Barry. "Anything else comes up, you start feeling weird, contact me and I'll be right over. Or you can just show up at our place. Clear?" 

"Ah, crystal," Barry nodded. "Thanks." 

Rob patted his shoulder as he headed to the door behind David. "It's what I'm here for, Barry. I know I'm not your usual doc but I promise you that I will assist in any way that I can to keep you on your feet. After all, it's not just Central City that needs you kept in order." 

Gathering up his jacket, Rob heard Jackson on the phone, Calvin cleaning up around the couch, and he glanced over to see Kenneth standing protectively behind Barry with a hand around the waist preventing the other from tipping over. 

Shutting the door behind him, Rob reached out and pulled his fiancé in close. "Gods, how anyone could possibly do that to Barry ... " 

He left the sentence unfinished as David embraced him. Rob was frustrated ... they had perfect evidence and there was nothing they could do about it, except for what Kenneth suggested: keep an eye on the bastard. 

Together, they descended the stairs and headed out into the night, grateful that the others will keep an eye on Barry that night. 

\----------------------------------------------

Settling down at his desk the next morning, Captain David Singh turned on his computer monitor, switching over to the security feed. He casually checked each of the CCPD's cameras, ensuring they were functioning properly. 

With what was revealed to him last night, David found that he could barely focus on anything. Rob had been greatly affected, way more than any other patient affected him, and that bothered David as he had never seen his partner in quite the emotional mess before. Despite only knowing Barry for a short time, Rob was displaying a vast amount of affection toward the CSI. That, in itself, did not bother David in the slightest, as he was also quite fond of his CSI, but it was the strength of the bond in such a short amount of time which was quite unusual. Much like Calvin, actually. 

Whatever it was, David was certain he'll find out soon enough. It certainly wasn't a bad thing, but he just didn't like not knowing what was going on. They had brushed upon the topic last night but Rob also didn't seem to know, claiming that he felt some sort of connection that he couldn't explain. 

Sighing, David absentmindedly reached out for the blanket that nestled on his desk. Feeling only the blanket, he belatedly remembered he had left Cleo with Mrs Cleary that morning. Mrs Cleary mentioned to him last night that she was taking her kitties in for a check-up, and get proper papers done up for the new kitten. She offered to take in Cleo and Jitters as they were also due for their check-up and get their papers updated with their latest shots and vaccinations. 

The monitor caught his attention as he had left on-screen the feed from the precinct's front doors. An idea came to mind as David headed for his office door. 

"NIMBUS! My office, now!" David barked out the order like he would any other member of his precinct. Turning, he sat back down at his desk waiting for the Hunter's arrival. Before flicking off his monitor, David caught Hartley's startled look as he glanced up at his guardian. 

A moment later, Nimbus tapped on the door and entered, shutting the door behind him. The Hunter offered no greeting, instead remaining silent, unblinking, unmoving. The sight alone would have unsettled most people, but not David, as he knew Kyle Nimbus and what he was capable of. Which is the very reason why he called the deadly Hunter into his office. 

He also knew how much the Hunter valued his time and those of his clients. 

Getting straight to business, David didn't waste any words. "Something's going on around my precinct and due to my security cameras malfunctioning, I don't have the evidence required that would hold up in court. I need fresh eyes around here and extra security detail on the Lab upstairs." 

"Yes," came the single word and David didn't quite know what Nimbus was referring to. 

"Pardon?" 

Nimbus nodded. "I agree. Contract will be on your desk by end of today." 

David stood rooted to the floor as the Hunter turned toward the door. "Where are you going?" 

"Upstairs," came the reply as the Hunter exited the office. 

David blinked, uncertain as to what just happened. Turning his monitor back on, he tuned in to the Lab upstairs, watching as both Hartley and the Hunter entered the Lab. 

He hadn't even gotten to any details of the possible contract, and he knew that Nimbus was currently under a contract, had expected to outline his request for the Hunter to consider. What he didn't expect was for Nimbus to agree to the contract before it was even discussed. 

"You got that puzzling frown, Cap," Joe commented as he entered the office, approaching the desk. "Ah, I thought I saw Nimbus come in." 

"Yes," David sighed, confused. "I had an idea and barely got two words out when Nimbus agreed." 

"Which is?" Joe inquired as they watched the pair having some sort of discussion about the new desk ornament. "Wonder where that came from." 

"Hmm," David watched as Hartley inspected the device and how Nimbus was positively beaming. "Based on their reactions, I think Nimbus has something to do with that camera." 

"Camera?" 

Right, Joe didn't know about the malfunctioning cameras yesterday. "We discovered a new camera signal yesterday, different from the CCPD's and Hartley's cameras. The others malfunctioned during a short period but that new camera was unaffected. Unfortunately, what it picked up can't be used as evidence as it's currently a non-sanctioned piece of equipment. Now that I know about the camera, I can only half-approve of it until I get the actual confirmation to its origins." 

Joe paled at what he hadn't yet said. "What happened?" 

Making sure the office door was completely shut, David spoke quietly. "I don't know how long it's been happening but Allen is being harassed and it seems as if his memory is being tampered with during those times. I don't have access to the new camera but Hartley's equipment at home has the footage from yesterday." 

"Who?" Joe asked, just as quietly, and very deadly. 

"Lack of legit evidence prevents me from saying who but I sent him out to Coast City on assignment for the rest of the week." 

"Naturally, you'll be investigating," Joe nodded in understanding. "Nimbus." 

"Exactly," David sighed, grateful that Joe catches on quickly. "He's smart and observant. If anyone can catch any ill deeds around my precinct ... " 

"Nimbus is certainly the guy for the job," Joe agreed. "What about his current contract?" 

David growled. "Didn't even get to discuss anything of the sort. I mentioned that I needed a fresh pair of eyes around here and he turned around and went upstairs." 

Joe laughed. "Okay, considering your request is likely to keep an eye on the Lab upstairs, and considering who practically lives up there, I'm quite certain it won't interfere with his current contract, only add to it." 

"Oh?" David's interest piqued; he figured the current contract was a bodyguard of sorts but didn't know the details. 

Joe settled himself down on the vacant chair next to the desk. "I don't know the specific details but from what I can understand, Nimbus' current contract is being bodyguard to Hartley, seeing as how he comes around more frequently now. What do you know about Hartley from this past year?" 

David had to think about that as he watched Allen materialise into the Lab, process the quickie items from the boxes, got tangled up with Hartley, and disappeared again, all in a span of 10 seconds. 

"Not too much," he admitted. "In fact, not too much since Gotham. I know something happened and it was bad but I don't know any details." 

Joe nodded. "Nobody knows much of anything at all, not even his closest friends, as Hartley doesn't ever talk about it. Nimbus is the one that knows the most as he was the one that found Hart. Short version, Hartley was abducted and kept hidden away for almost a year. His companions couldn't find him, and believe me, they tried. Nimbus was out on assignment during that time outside of Central and couldn't be reached. Soon as he came back, he was contracted to find Hartley, and he did, brought him home. Hasn't left his side yet. My guess is that it's a long-term contract. The more people see Hartley with a big scary looking guy, the less likely he'd be abducted again." 

David let the explanation sink in while he collected his thoughts. "The more I know about Hartley, the more I want to track down every damn bastard out there that has ever laid a finger on him. That certainly explains Nimbus' eagerness to get upstairs and to accept my request before I could properly explain. Does he have any sort of contract with Allen?" 

"Not that I'm aware of," Joe shook his head. "It is possible that his current contract does allow Nimbus the freedom to include whomever he wishes under his protection." 

"Hmm, seeing as how Nimbus was perfectly okay with Allen getting frisky with Hartley a few moments ago, it is quite likely that he extends that protection to him." David mused everything over for a few seconds. "Anything else I should know about Nimbus?" 

"Only the fact that he's the 2nd best Bounty Hunter in the country and he can kill anyone just by looking at them?" Joe grinned, perfectly relaxed. 

David shuddered. "2nd?! I don't even want to know who holds the top spot and I don't even want to hear my bank account growling at the sort of fee that high-rank deserves. I knew he's a damn good Hunter but ... " David paled slightly as he let the sentence trail off. 

"First spot belong to Nimbus' brother, third goes to their Hunter partner. All three are devoted to keeping watch over one another and their special charges. The other two are over in Gotham." Joe stood up and stretched. "And that's all the information I have as I'm not a member of their Hunter Circle, only some sort of ally due to my connection with both of our kids." 

David hummed in thought as his Detective headed for the door. "Joe, I'd appreciate it if we just kept this to ourselves for now. Others are used to seeing Nimbus around due to his connection to Hartley but I don't want it getting out the real reason he's here." 

"Understood," Joe agreed, pulling out a buzzing cell phone and glancing at the message. "Alarm at the Labs." 

"Go. Take Calvin with you, give the kid some more actual field experience." 

Joe snorted. "You just want to make sure Hartley focuses on his work today without Calvin constantly interrupting him." 

David grinned. "Figure you can talk to the kid. Whatever is going on around here, Calvin has good insight, but he's still young." 

"Ah, give him the ol' discussion of being discreet. I definitely have plenty of experience in giving out that particular talk," Joe grinned and left the office. 

Within moments, David heard Calvin's chattering voice as the youngster headed out with the Detective. Glancing back over to his monitor, he watched as Hartley viewed some footage on his own computer, seeing the agitation growing by the second; David knew that his friend was viewing the footage from yesterday. 

Sighing, he got up and headed out of his office, intending to make his rounds of the precinct, make sure everyone was working and gather up any reports. He secretly felt relieved when he saw two of his officers sneaking up the stairs. 

\----------------------------------------------

"How you managed to escape the Captain's office in one piece, I will never know," Hartley commented to his Hunter as they entered the Lab. He immediately noticed that both computers were online, the printer powered on, and one of the evidence machines working away. 

He also noticed the seven boxes laid out neatly on the table, ready to be processed. 

He also noticed the jumbo-size cappuccino sitting on his desk, still steaming hot. 

Ignoring the boxes, Hartley retrieved the drink and took a long sip, moaning pleasurably at how extra good it was, entering his own bliss-mode. He could taste the extra bonuses: marshmallows with oreo cookie pieces mixed in. 

When he drank down half of the delicious treat, Hartley turned to his partner. "You're still here." 

Kyle beamed. "Yes. New contract." 

Hartley puzzled over that as he scanned over his desk, sensing something amiss. "Does Leonard know?" 

"Not yet. I message him now." Kyle hauled out his cell phone and proceeded to do just that. "Done." 

"Will this new contract interfere with your current?" Hartley asked as his eyes fell upon a new furball on his desk; well, technically, it was made out of metal, not furball material. 

"No," Kyle confirmed. "Verbal request." 

Hartley poked at the device, catching the barely noticeable movement within the dark irises of those big bulging eyes. "Ah. Need me to get it in writing?" 

"Yes, please. With Captain." 

"Ah," Hartley nodded, fully understanding. He didn't know the details but he knew Captain Singh would only contract the Hunter for one reason: extra security detail around the precinct. A fresh pair of eyes is far more likely to catch stuff that would often go unnoticed by those that have been around for years. Hart liked to call it the Tourist Syndrome. 

"Sooner I get that contract done, sooner your findings become legit. What's with the new Beebo?" 

Kyle positively beamed. "New camera, new frequency, new material. Different from yours." 

"Oh?" Hartley became immediately intrigued as he picked up the BeeboCam. The weight caught his attention as it was quite heavy. Turning it around, he realised it actually wasn't metal like he initially thought. Nor was it any other material that he was familiar with. Finding the hidden panel in the back, which surprisingly used his special band-opening trick to pop open, he whistled at the circuitry within, and the sparkling power source. 

"Kyle ... " he awed. 

"Special Hunter Cam. We created it at the Manor. Never drop signal." 

The tiny circuit board was certainly nothing like anything he had ever seen before, aside from the bright aqua power source from a pure Dwarf Star. Nobody would ever suspect that the Beebo ornament was more than just another boring ornament. 

"Currently set to output to your computer here, at home, at apartment, at Manor. More can be added as needed." 

A groan was immediately heard in his ear followed by limbs wrapping around him. "Not another Beebo ... why?" 

Hartley giggled at the whiny tone and nearly dropped the camera as he was speed-fondled right to the edge. 

Another groan as his speedster glanced at a cell phone message and zipped out again, mumbling about lack of personal time. 

Kyle naturally caught him before he toppled over due to the sudden absence that affected his balance. The Hunter also neatly retrieved the camera that had slipped from his hands, before it hit the floor, settling it back on the desk, the panel back in place. 

"Gah," was all Hartley could say as he made his way to the other side of his desk, plopping down into his chair. He winced at the strain in his pants when he sat down, not knowing whether to strangle Barry later or tie him up and then strangle him. 

Thinking to get working on the contract, get his mind of his blasted partner, Hartley tapped into his personal computer at home to bring up the software he prefers to use for such documents. 

He had only gotten two lines written when the BeeboCam caught his interest again. Pulling up the feed, Hartley asked, "When did you install this?" 

"Monday night. Gagne was here, let me in. He left something in your desk." 

"Oh?" Intrigued again, Hartley checked his top drawer, wondering what their CSI friend wanted that he couldn't approach him in person. Finding the envelope, he pulled the note out, reading, and beamed. 

"Ah! Secrecy. Making sure nobody else finds out about this." He handed the note over to his Hunter who also beamed happily. Emma's birthday was coming up next week and Gagne wanted to give her something extra special, extra unique, possibly a bracelet. Hartley already had several ideas in mind; definitely a project he couldn't wait to tackle. 

Tucking the note into a pocket, he turned back to the BeeboCam feed. Nothing much occurred overnight Monday once Kyle and Gagne left the Lab. Tuesday morning, the camera picked up Barry entering the Lab with two boxes, followed by two more boxes. 

Leaving the feed running, Hartley worked on the contract while they watched Barry go through the boxes of confetti, sorting them by colour, which also included a pile of burnt confetti. Kyle enjoyed watching Blaze. When nothing was happening during sleep time, Hartley put his full attention to the contract. 

He was halfway done of the contract when he sensed his Hunter tense up. Glancing back over to the feed, Hartley bristled. Jimmy had come in, and Hart realised that there was audio. Turning it up, the two of them heard every word, saw every action. What caught his attention, however, was when Jimmy wrapped an arm around Barry's waist, and pinched him. Something was odd about that pinch. 

He paused the feed. "Kyle?" 

"Zoom button on keyboard," Kyle reached over and tapped a new switch on the keyboard which popped out a button panel. Hartley quickly found the Zoom button, amazed at how easily he could focus on a specific area with no blur. 

Playing that part again, in slow motion, they watched as those fingers pressed into Barry's side and ... yes! Somehow, those fingernails shimmered and grew into something resembling claws, or talons. Hartley shuddered at a recent memory of being too familiar with talons. 

"Substance," Kyle said, bringing his focus back to the screen. 

The claw did seem to inject something into Barry before moving up beneath the shirts. At least he now had his answer as to what was bothering his partner last night when Barry checked in on him. Barry didn't seem to remember any of this, only that he felt off and he needed Hart. Tired as he was, Hartley was still more than capable of giving his beloved a quick cleanse of the mind and recharge of the body. Feeling much better, Barry had let him get back to sleep while he headed back to the apartment where he left their precinct friends. 

Letting the feed progress normally, Hartley felt sick at what Jimmy was doing. "Too late to do anything, but we need to let the Captain know about this camera so that any future recordings can be fully authorised in court." 

A thought coming to mind, Hartley pulled up a feed of Barry's apartment from last night, before he visited Hart. After a few minutes, he nodded. 

"They viewed this footage last night. Your being here is because of this." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. 

"Basic contract, don't want to add too many details, certainly not your real reason for being here. Somehow, I doubt the Captain would want anyone else knowing that you're here for more than just basic security. I'll have this done in a few minutes." 

Focusing back on the contract, Hartley made some changes to what he had already written, added some more basic stuff, saved it to his personal computer at home, and hit the PRINT button. Getting up, he looked over the document, pleased with how it sounded. If anyone were to take a glimpse of this contract, they would see that Kyle has been contracted out to the CCPD as a Security Guard. Nothing more, nothing less. Only those that really knew them would know that Kyle was there to keep an eye on Hart and Barry. He also knew that outside of the Captain and quite likely Detective West, nobody would know the true reason for the Hunter's presence. 

"Hmm, I approve." 

The deep voice startled him and he spun around to face a serious Kenneth who plucked the contract out of his hands and studied it further. 

"Good and basic, nobody would suspect a thing," Kenneth nodded as he handed the paper to Kyle. "About time our Captain did something. I was getting near ready to haul your Hunter in here myself. Me and Jacks can't keep coming up here all the time, especially since our calls have been increasing." 

Hartley heard the growl in the latter part of that comment. 

"Seriously, as great as this Lab is, the calls just keep coming in," Jackson confirmed. "We barely have a minute to ourselves. I would love to strangle the bastard who called in from near the Metro Bridge yesterday morning. The next time someone wants to complain about a hot dog stand not giving them enough ketchup, I'm just gonna hang up on the bastard. Seriously, we should have been here yesterday." 

"Distraction?" Kyle inquired. 

Kenneth thought that over a moment. "Good thought. That douchebag doesn't approve of me and Jacks hanging around. He was rather irritated and scowly when you guys were in Gotham." 

"Hmm, maybe I'll introduce him to Floyd. If anyone can get him running in the other direction, Floyd can." Hartley grinned as devilish thoughts entered his mind. 

"Wouldn't work," Kyle interrupted his thoughts. "They already met." 

"What?!" Hartley couldn't believe what he just heard. "When? How?! Wait ... " 

Kyle nodded. "Floyd mentioned a contract here in Central, face-to-face meeting. He gave me the full story later. Jimmy was the one that contacted him, gave him the details, all but name. Floyd doesn't like lack of information, said he'd consider it. Jimmy took that as a confirmation and gave Floyd the address. Out of curiosity, Floyd inspected the location then declined the job. It was a kill job that normally fetches a high price, and the offer was ten times the normal rate." 

Hartley paled, thinking back to their departure day. Floyd had said he declined a job due to a conflict of interest ... 

"Damn, musta been some important if he cancelled," Kenneth commented. "Target wasn't there?" 

"No," Kyle confirmed fondly. "Target was sound asleep in my bed, wrapped up in the limbs of another." 

"Daaaaamn," Jackson hissed, fully getting it. "And I thought it was bad enough when he didn't approve of me and Kenny." 

Hartley could only wish that Jimmy disapproved of him as much as he does Kenny and Jacks. Knowing that there's a very highly priced Kill Bounty on his head is quite unsettling, to put it mildly. 

Without conscious thought, Hartley stumbled back over to his desk and sat down heavily in his chair. With half conscious thought, he tapped into one of the cameras from Barry's apartment from that night. With full consciousness, he watched as Floyd entered the apartment with Fireball hanging on to the barrel of the sniper. 

"Courageous little furball," Kenneth commented. 

Switching to a camera outside the apartment, they watched as Floyd came up the stairs and conversed with the guardian feline. Floyd entered the apartment easily and roamed around, always under watch by Fireball who had scrambled up to his shoulder. Soon, Floyd hauled out his cell phone, declined the job as he got offered a better one, and continued inspecting the place. 

Hartley groaned as he watched his Gotham Hunter inspect every single camera and audio device, along with the bedside panel, watching as that pesky Hunter attached something of his own to each one. 

Kyle grinned. "Hooked up to the Manor." 

"Huh?" Jackson seemed baffled. 

"That's Floyd," Hartley explained. "He attached his own gadgets to my equipment so essentially, he has full access to view and hear everything in our apartment." 

"Wait ... he can watch you and Allen ... " Kenneth grinned at whatever dastardly thoughts flicked through his mind. 

"Yes," Hartley groaned knowing full well that Floyd would do just that. Still, he did feel better knowing that his friends in Gotham can check in on them anytime they were at the apartment. 

"I know him," Jackson spoke up, catching the attention of the other three. "I bumped into him at Jitters here, he paid for my drinks as I couldn't find my wallet. Even though there was nothing visible showing, with my trained eye, I knew he was carrying dangerous weapons. I also sensed he was a dangerous guy, despite his cheerfulness. He walked me back to the station, saw my wallet on the step, refused my payment, tapped me on the ass and left." 

"He TAPPED you?" Kenneth growled and, seeing the extremely guilty look on Jackson's face, Hartley burst out in laughter. 

"Just a tap, I assure you!" Jackson was failing miserably at defending himself. 

Kenneth snorted. "Damn prick bought you drinks, he bought MY drink! Next time he shows himself around here, I'll make damn sure he knows who you belong to." 

Very grateful he had such good friends, ones who were excellent at increasing his mood, Hartley continued listening to their banter as he watched his Gotham Hunter inspect the shower and the bed, very much making himself at home. Fireball mewed happily at his new friend. 

\----------------------------------------------

Seeing as their precinct friends were watching over Hartley, Kyle took the opportunity to head downstairs with the new contract. Leonard hadn't responded to his text message yet but Kyle knew there wouldn't be any issue; this new contract was only enhancing the current one, after all. Increasing his time around his charge was always a good thing. 

Kyle liked being at the CCPD, surrounded by those who are as dedicated as he is to keeping others safe. Where once the fine officers aimed their guns at him, those same officers now aimed nothing but pure smiles and friendly greetings toward him. 

Not seeing the Captain in his office, Kyle wandered around, seeing what the others of the precinct were up to. Everyone that was in attendance were open with him, answering inquiries about their duties. Kyle learned a lot from the tech guys that were mentoring his friend, Calvin, even learning the current whereabouts of the young tech. 

Clements was on primary phone duty, and Kyle silently watched as one particular call came in that had half the floor bustling with officers dashing out the door. Kyle had marveled at how Clements had kept calm, writing down the details, with Johnston calling out the names of the best officers suited for the current job. 

At some point during his exploration, Kyle discovered a sleeping feline on his shoulder, tail wrapped securely around his neck. He recognised the pleasant furball from the video footage. 

Eventually, Kyle did encounter the Captain again, handing over the contract. The Captain read through the single piece of paper carefully, nodded, had both of them sign it, and sealed it away in his desk. Detective West had returned by that time and signed as witness. 

Now, he was heading back up the stairs, listening to Calvin go over the details of a faulty alarm at STAR Labs; Kyle made a mental note to inform Hart about that alarm. Dr Snow and Geek Boy were away that week, alarms should not be faulty. 

Letting out a rare grin, Kyle entered the Lab, immensely pleased to be there, with such good people, even if two of them were being the opposite of "good" right then. 

\----------------------------------------------

Glancing up at the silent footsteps, Hartley smiled as his friend came around into view and settled down on the chair. Even though most people have Friday night plans, Leonard preferred to stay in. For that matter, so does Hart. 

"What are you working on?" Leonard asked, examining the clasp he picked up. "Doesn't seem like your usual stuff." 

Hartley blushed, remembering the request he received earlier that week. Gagne was over in Keystone that week but had left a message in Hart's desk. 

"Ah, just a simple bracelet, is all," he replied while cleaning the section he completed moments ago. 

Leonard snorted. "You and _simple_ do not co-exist. Seriously, the detail on this thing is exquisite, with the wrap-around vines and butterflies." Leonard plucked the piece he was cleaning out of his fingers. "See, here?" Len indicated the implants which shimmered at his touch. "No other basic piece of jewelry contain pieces of Dwarf Star. Other gems, sure, but certainly not this particular bracelet." 

Hartley felt pleased with the review; he knew he was good at creating unique items of a particular sort, but he doesn't usually get the chance to work on normal items like this, so he wasn't sure how well received the bracelet will be. Having Leonard admire the piece was certainly boosting his confidence. 

He watched as Leonard placed the two pieces on the table, the clasp fitting neatly into place. They watched as the clasp pulsed once, and the vines shimmered green, before going back into its neutral state. Leonard whistled. 

Hartley smiled as he picked up the matching accessory, cleaning the sapphire and emerald gems inserted into the necklace. The necklace was in a teardrop formation, one side Emma's birthstone, the other side Gagne's. What was unique about these two gems was how he was able to insert a tiny pulse device that caused the gems to sparkle. What was unique about the pulse device was how it matched the frequency of the Dwarf Star inserted into the bracelet. What was unique about the frequency was how it matched Emma's personal body frequency, which he was able to obtain during a casual visit the previous day under the ruse of checking in with Gagne who was still in Keystone. 

Since the awakening of his Empath ability, Hartley had discovered that he could _feel_ a person's frequency like he could their sense, merely by being near them. It was likely because of Kyle's Distortion being active and attuned to Barry that Hart's frequency sense became a normal part of his Empathic powers. Chatting with Emma and the twins, he was able to gain her frequency easily, all three of them actually. 

Which prompted him to insert three unique pieces of the newest blue-green Dwarf Star into the bracelet portion of the set, each one attuned to their respective humans. Well, almost. He had to wait for Gagne to get back to gain his proper frequency so he can feed it into the CSI's respective gem. Easily enough done as Hart had left the channel open in that gem. 

Checking the clasp on the necklace, Hartley smiled at how unique it was, yet very familiar to him. No matter what happens, this particular necklace, made with a Dwarf Star chain and clasp, would never break or be pulled off by force. It would only be released with gentle, trusting fingers. Same for the bracelet once he gets the clasp properly secured. 

Emma had mentioned a recent string of burglaries in the neighbourhood and Hartley picked up on her uneasiness. He wanted to make sure this jewelry set wouldn't fall into the wrong hands, hence the extra security measure in keeping the pieces on their intended host. 

Speaking of security measures, Hartley glanced over at the bracelet as one of the Dwarf Star gems glimmered brightly, emerald green laced with angry red lines. 

"Is that normal?" Leonard inquired softly. 

"Security measure but that particular one shouldn't be active yet," Hartley puzzled while hauling out his cell phone, tapping a quick message over to Barry. Seeing the confusion in his friend's eyes, he elaborated. "That one is to be attuned to Gagne once I see him next but it's odd how it's acting up now. I sent Barry over to Keystone, track him down." 

"Ah," Leonard nodded, clearly not understanding. 

Hartley sighed as he examined the bracelet. Tapping on the two dormant Star pieces, he caught a sense of peaceful sleep. Tapping on the active piece, he felt distraught. 

"While pretty, the set is also practical," Hartley explained. "It's a unique way for Emma to keep an eye on her husband and the twins without anyone knowing about it. The three Star gems represent each of them, and attuned to their frequency, so they will shimmer if any of them feel endangered in any way, or scared, or sad or any other intense emotion. This will enable quick action on Emma's part to make sure they are safe." 

Leonard blinked at him in awe. "You mean to say you created an advanced form of the mood ring?" 

Hartley snorted and grinned. "Way, way, way, way more advanced, but essentially, yes, even though these pieces only pick up the moods of Gagne and the twins, no matter where they are." 

A message ping caught his attention and Hartley sighed in relief as he relayed the information to Leonard. "Gagne's fine. Tried to play the hero at Keystone Toys by reaching for a plush Beebo that a lady couldn't quite reach for her child. In the process, he stepped on a truck that someone left on the floor. Beebo safe, child ecstatic, mother happy, Gagne sprained his leg along with a gash. Barry and Wally found him and fixed him up." 

Pleased that the Star gems worked perfectly, it still puzzled him that Gagne's Star became active. Whatever the case, he'll still make sure to feed Gagne's frequency into the Star, make sure there isn't any abnormalities. Gagne should be back tomorrow or Sunday. Plenty of time as Emma's birthday is on Tuesday. 

"Good he's okay," Leonard said, focusing back on the bracelet. "That's mighty impressive. Soon as you saw Gagne was in trouble, you sent Barry right over. Far more convenient and way quicker than regular responders, able to get him patched up right away." 

Following his line of thought, Hartley pondered the possibilities. "I had only been thinking about simple tracking devices and comms, but creating this set has certainly paved the way for more elaborate devices, now that I know how to do so." 

Leonard growled, "I'm not wearing any sort of necklace." 

"Of course not," Hartley confirmed. "Jewelry, in general, don't look good on you, aside from a comm earpiece. However, I can create a small ear implant, just beneath the skin, completely hidden, that will constantly track your location. That will help me pinpoint your exact location whenever I feel your emotions through the Network." 

"Huh," Leonard thought that over for a moment. "Mick suggested that exact idea last week. He was going to talk to you about tagging Barry since the trackers in his suit don't always work." 

"It's an excellent idea," Hartley agreed. "I can certainly set something up for all of us, set to both my frequency and the Hunter Circle. That way, if any of us get into trouble, even when in Gotham, they'd also be able to find us quickly. Still, that's pretty basic stuff, yet extremely useful." 

"What are you thinking?" Leonard inquired during the lull in conversation. 

"Thinking about a wider network," Hartley replied, thoughts beginning to form. "The newest Dwarf Star, the blue-green one, has a stronger sensory aspect to it than the others. The regular stuff is more for reacting to energies in a positive way, the pure Star is excellent as a power source. The new Star seems to enhance our powers, or at least, my Empathy; haven't had a chance to test it on Barry yet. With that boost, I would have a clearer picture of the state you guys are in, rather than just a basic sense of your emotions. I used some of the new stuff in the bracelet and it seems to work quite well. What I want to be able to do is get us all on the Star Network so I can dispatch Barry as needed. Right now, Barry can already dispatch himself when I'm in trouble as he can pick up my sense through our Force Network. He'll soon be able to do that with you and Kyle if he hasn't already. A Star Network can widen our scope to include those outside of the Force Network." 

Leonard nodded, fully getting it. "If anyone can set up something that elaborate and unique, you certainly can. You continue to amaze me daily with your creations and plans. What's with the stack of papers?" 

Watching for a few moments as Leonard examined the pages, Hartley felt the emotions coming through clearly, from interest to amusement to outright disbelief. "A few minor requests." 

Leonard snorted. "A _few_? Most of these are more like what you usually make, from small chains to piercings, and not necessarily for ears or nipples, although both of those are also included. Then there are basic items for belts and gloves, containers, cases, some more jewelry pieces, security gadgets ... and I don't even want to know about this last item." 

Hartley blushed, knowing full well what that last item was. Kenneth requested that one, a precautionary measure in the event Floyd comes around again, to keep Jackson in line. Basically, a Floyd sensory alert in case the Gotham Hunter gets within twenty feet of Jacks, along with the resulting pulses to both nipples and cock to remind Jacks to not approach that particular asshole. 

Other requests were fairly straight-forward with Jackson having quite the imagination with items he wanted to get for Kenneth, to either use on Kenny or for Kenny to use on him. Floyd sent over a few requests to add to their Hunter equipment, including a heavy-duty pulse chain, along with some personal equipment including multiple small chains to attach to the entire body. Floyd's requests were both a mixture of business and pleasure. 

Clements also had a special request to get something for his daughter who was still undergoing some physical therapy. Various requests from various officers included a wide range of items: cell phone cases, cufflinks, ankle bracelets, engagement ring, etc. 

Ray had even sent over an email "inquiring" about various items and the effects they have with prolonged usage in various weather conditions. Items which included various styles of chains, rods, gloves, small "pinchy" items, "poking" items of various sizes ... it was all Hartley could do to construct a very informative response without falling to pieces in laughter. 

"Seriously, though," Leonard continued. "Knowing your work the way I do, and still being amazed by your creations, you could really rake in the cash with this stuff." 

"Thought about it," Hartley admitted then shrugged. "Not quite enough Dwarf Star to go around, though. Saving the Stars for the really special items. Besides, majority of the requests are from our closest friends. It's more than enough payment to see they are doing well along with their families. Besides, if I did nothing but work on requests all the time, I wouldn't have any free time to work on the truly unique items." 

Which was true, Hartley reflected. With work and other things going on, and this sudden increase in personal requests, it's been awhile since he completed any items for Barry. He still needed to study the newest Dwarf Star when combined with the Speed Force, and how Barry's body reacted to it. He also wanted to take Floyd's multi-chain idea and tailor it specifically for Barry; so many possibilities to explore with the multi-chain! 

Hartley sighed and Leonard draped an arm across his shoulders, pulling him close. "I know, try not to worry about it," Len spoke soothingly. "One task at a time, and Barry can wait easily enough. In fact, there are some really interesting requests that you might want to consider making multiples of, hmm?" 

He smiled, falling into Leonard's embrace, feeling the comforting warmth. "Yeah, Barry won't mind the delay. The requests shouldn't take too long, although ... " he sighed. 

"Mmm?" Leonard inquired, nuzzling the side of his neck. 

"Need to do a supply run at some point. I know I can find some things at STAR Labs easily but others will be difficult to find, at best. I'll write down what I need. Maybe Ray will have something amongst all his own gadgets. Floyd should have a few usable items that I can work with. I can find a lot on the Internet but that requires actual spending cash and no guarantee I'll receive exactly what I ordered." 

Leonard was quiet for a moment before responding. "You _are_ getting paid by the CCPD, right?" 

Hartley blinked. "Oh! Uh, right. Forgot about that. Still," he shook his head and Leonard prevented any further words from coming out by kissing his Hart. 

Leonard pulled back after a minute. "Relax. If it's spending cash you need, all you gotta do is ask. After all, funding your experiments is pleasing me a great deal as well." 

Hartley rolled his eyes and grinned as Len chuckled. After all, whatever he does create for Barry benefits all of them. 

Taking a much needed break, Hartley allowed himself to be reminded once again of just how valuable he was to the team. Even if its conveyed through the usage of Leonard's hands, legs, lips, tongue, teeth ... he growled and shuddered at one particular nip between the lowest two rib bones on the right side. Hardly anyone knows of _that_ particular pleasure spot. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry was mighty grateful at not having seen the other CSI for the rest of that week, but hadn't a clue as to why. As nice a guy as Jimmy is, Barry just wasn't feeling up to his cheerfulness. He also sensed that Jimmy didn't much care for some of Barry's friends, which was something that greatly bothered him. 

He knew that not everyone liked everyone else, it's human nature after all, but he couldn't seem to understand how Jimmy always seem annoyed with Hartley, Kenneth and Jackson, especially when everyone else at the precinct adore the trio. 

"Left." 

Turning left, Barry tried to think back over previous encounters with Jimmy but came up with zero logical reason to the other's reactions toward his friends. 

"Stop." 

Barry stopped at a red light, paying no attention to the vacant intersection, thoughts still on Jimmy, remembering that the CSI also didn't much care for Calvin. 

"Snap out of it, man, or you'll miss him!" 

Snap out of what? Miss who? "Uh ... " 

A gust of wind blasted through the intersection which jolted him back to the present. Sparking, he chased after the Meta Beast that was now headed westward. 

Soon, his thoughts wandered again. He was now wondering how the streets were so empty on a Friday night. "Cisco? It is Friday, right?" 

"Yeah, man, Friday night and here I am directing you ... Right ... to that Beast rather than having a gaming night, or a movie night ... Left ... or even a sex night. Do you realise how many people do those three things in this City? Quite often all three at the same time ... Stop." 

Barry stopped in front of the newest Meta Beast as it had also stopped. "I'm not having sex with you Cisco," he told his friend. "What about this oversized rodent?" 

"Ewwwwwwwwwww," came the grossed-out reply. 

Barry grinned, knowing full well that his best friend had taken quite an interest in the Meta Beasts these last few months, despite having a girlfriend. In fact, that was part of the reason why Cisco and Caitlin had gone to Starling that week, to investigate a possible Meta Beast, and to try out the new Thai restaurant that opened up over there. Cisco came back this morning with a full, raving review of the Thai place, and Caitlin stayed behind with the intention of coming back on Sunday. No Meta Beast, however, as it turned out to be an inflatable dragon that someone put up on their front lawn. 

Before him was the newest Meta Beast of the week, whiskers rustling as it tasted the air, ears flicking as it moved its head around. The long, thin tail swayed back and forth along the pavement as it sat on its hind legs, peering up at him. 

"You seeing this?" Barry asked, the rodent seemingly paying close attention. 

"Yeah, the new Cam is coming in clearly," Cisco replied. "That is the biggest mouse I have ever seen." 

"Have a name yet?" Barry approached the mouse, slowly so as not to frighten it. The mouse flinched back at his outstretched arm but soon sniffed the gloved hand. 

"Has it done anything yet, aside from run at super sonic speed? Wait ... " 

Barry could practically hear the gears rolling in his friend's head. "How about Sonichu?" After having passed some sort of test, he found himself scratching behind those large ears. When sitting up on its hind legs, the mouse came halfway up his chest, the ear tips reaching his shoulders. 

Cisco snorted over the comm. "Seriously? Dude, you're terrible with names. I'm thinking more like Gonzalez." 

Barry grinned, very familiar with the old Speedy Gonzalez cartoons; he had always enjoyed those. "What'll we do with Gonzalez then?" 

"It seems friendly enough, unlike majority of the Beasts we've come across," Cisco commented. "Might make a good pet? Chase the bad guys away?" 

"Maybe," Barry replied absently as he attached a tracking device to the Beast that also functioned as a pulse barrier. Placing a hand on its head, Barry sent over soothing energies. Gonzalez sniffed him some more before zipping off. 

"Got him," Cisco declared after a few seconds. "Seems it set up some sort of lair just across the Central-Keystone bridge, up in that Grove area." 

Barry knew the exact Grove in question, having had found Hartley there right before Gotham. "Good, that's a secluded spot, hardly anyone knows about it." 

"You attach the device properly?" Cisco asked as he zipped into the Cortex of the Labs, collapsing into a chair. 

"Yeah, just inside the ear behind the fur. It's small enough so won't affect hearing. Think it'll work?" 

Cisco focused on the monitor that displayed the details of the Meta Mouse. "Tracking is working perfectly, but won't know about the pulse disrupter until those sky pulses you told me about activates again. Have you got a lead on those?" 

Barry shook his head, knowing full well that both Hartley and Calvin had been searching for them, with little result. "Nothing. Would be easier if we had wings but even with our allies that do know how to fly in some capacity, it's too dangerous especially since those pulses can call up lightning. Falling from that height is enough to kill most people; I'd likely be in a coma for a month while my body recovered." 

"Hmm," Cisco thought for a moment, leaning back in his chair. "Once we find a few more friendly Beasts to tag, we should get a better idea of where those sky pulses are. As likely as it does sound that they're affecting the Beasts, it still doesn't tell us how these ordinary animals turned into Meta Beasts. Maybe we'll gain some insight into their daily lives and interactions with one another, might get a clue as to what happened." 

"Hopefully," Barry agreed as he stood up. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was nearly midnight. "Think I'll head home. The streets are practically empty tonight, I doubt there's going to be much activity happening." 

"Sure, man, get some sleep," Cisco told him. "If something of extreme importance comes up, I'll buzz you." 

"Right," Barry nodded as Cisco brought his legs up on top of the desk, leaned back and closed his eyes. Within moments, Barry heard his friend drift off to sleep. Finding a blanket, he covered Cisco, then zipped out into the night. 

Once again, he was puzzled by the lack of activity within the City, especially on a Friday night. 

\----------------------------------------------

Upon arrival back to Central City, he fumed, recalling how he was sent off on some wild good chase of an assignment. He had plans in Central that week, plans that needed to be post-poned. He despised delays. 

Ensuring everything was set up properly in his apartment, all his essential items in perfect condition, his newest guns sparkling in anticipation of being used, he sat down to view the feeds from around the City. 

He saw Flash's encounter with the large rodent, saw where the rodent headed to, just outside the City. He made a mental note to see about pulses over there. 

Activating the feed in Barry's apartment, he watched for a few minutes but soon grew bored due to lack of activity. He recently learned of the other place Barry liked to hang out at and tapped into the camera he had planted there. His attention quickly became absorbed. 

Loosening his own pants, he watched as his prey, his soon-to-be partner, devour that pesky rodent. Still, after a few minutes, and so close to his own orgasm, he had to admit that pesky rodent did have an interesting body. 

Thoughts began to form, wondering if his companions would find the rodent interesting. 

He sprayed out onto the floor just as the pesky rodent sparked, with his prey buried deep inside, letting loose his own sparking juices. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just what in the world is that Jimmy fella up to? Soon enough, we shall find out. Also, it's good to have a few friendly Beasts around.
> 
> Feel free to leave comments, questions, inquiries! If anyone needs anything explained, or curious about my thought process, you can comment here. I am also over on Twitter as GaoRyuki .


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyle Nimbus is the 2nd best Bounty Hunter in the country, and the 3rd most deadly person on the planet. He takes pride in both his duties and in his friends, dedicated to keeping his closest companions safe. Becoming even closer to the one who changed his life around, has our Hunter following a more meaningful path, and growing into an even more formidable adversary to those who will stop at nothing to harm his friends, and a far greater ally to those he loves most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long overdue, we finally have a chapter that is more focused around Kyle. I fully enjoyed writing this chapter and hope readers will also enjoy. Even though the main focus is Kyle this time, there are certainly some Barry moments and Hartley moments. Leonard and Mick are also along for the ride! This chapter refers back often to chapter 3, that fateful day when Kyle and Hartley met up with Barry at the grocery store.
> 
> Also, I took the opportunity to doodle up some chicken scratches on multiple pieces of yellow sticky-note paper, a very basic, general idea of how Central City appears in my braincell. When I have more time (patience), I will do up a better image, but these are enough to get the basic gist of a few key locations, the bridges, river, Keystone, etc. They are in no way accurate to either Flash Comics or Arrowverse versions. I also have a basic doodle of how Len's place looks on the inside, before the upcoming renovations. Hopefully these Twitter links work.
> 
> Central City  
> https://twitter.com/GaoRyuki/status/1077090213846020096  
> Len's Place  
> https://twitter.com/GaoRyuki/status/1077059890743513089
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Mentions of past Suicide attempts (not detailed, only fact).  
> Mutilation (not detailed, only fact).

**\-- Mist Play --**  


Saturday morning dawned bright and early, and quickly turned very busy. After having left a sleepy Hartley in bed, Barry answered the summons from both the CCPD and STAR Labs. It was only a second before deciding to head to the crime scene in his Flash suit, especially since there were questionable reports of some Meta still being in the area. 

Scouting the area, Barry found the Meta that had a camouflage ability and put him in the custody of Kenneth. He also took three seconds to gather up a box worth of evidence and left that in the care of Gagne. 

Arriving back at Len's place, he found both Len and Hartley outside, likely discussing how to expand the building for when it's renovation time. He paid no attention to the conversation as he handed over their drinks from the Jitters he stopped in at on the way back, then quickly fondled Hart into a gasping mess. What was really impressive was how Barry mastered that deed without spilling a single drop of the shaking paper cup. 

Back inside, after having placed a few items in the fridge, and dispensing of his suit, a thought came to mind and he headed for the bedroom. 

"Kyle?" 

"Hmm?" Kyle set his book aside and Barry noticed that the Hunter was already halfway through, wondering just how fast he read. He also wondered what series his friend was reading. 

Standing just inside the bedroom door, leaning against the wall, hands in pockets, Barry hesitated. He had wanted to discuss something important with Kyle for quite some time, but had kept putting it off. Now, however, in light of recent events, he felt the need to approach the Hunter about this; he really couldn't put it off any longer, despite being uncomfortable. 

"Sit," Kyle told him, the tone making his body obey without hesitation as Barry sat on the bed, bringing his legs up comfortingly. 

Where to begin? Barry recalled feeling comfortable talking with the Hunter back in Gotham regarding his dreams, and also gained some valuable intel on some of the standard Hunter equipment that Kyle, Floyd and Victor used along with some personal favourites. Which was part of the reason that brought him here now. 

Kyle was also extremely patient while he collected his thoughts, which Barry appreciated. 

"Something happened in Gotham and back here in Central afterward," he began, thinking it best to focus on _that_ particular incident. "It was in the corridor with Floyd the day before we left." 

"Sniper?" Kyle inquired, eyes swirling with energy as he kept his entire focus on Barry. 

"Yeah," Barry confirmed. "It was ... different, I'm not sure how to explain it. At first, I was feeling the sniper normally, like how anyone would feel it with the cold hard metal being pressed into their back. There was no denying what the weapon was as I know quite a bit about various weapons. However, the feeling soon changed. I was somehow sensing the sniper rather than just feeling it, like an extra pair of eyes was formed. Still a fuzzy image but I was able to sense how the air flowed around the gun, which helped determine its length, density, extra gadgets on it, all that kind of stuff. When he moved the sniper around, the details came more into focus, likely because my attention was fully on the gun." 

During the pause, Kyle asked another question. "When did the feeling change?" 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over for a moment. "Floyd asked me if I was ever in a hostage situation, I started to panic at one such memory, Hart calmed me down, getting me to focus on relaxing. His voice was soothing and felt more powerful than usual, I settled down immediately. That was when I started sensing the gun behind me." 

Kyle nodded, having come to some sort of conclusion. "What about here in Central?" 

Barry shuddered. "I really don't remember much but Jimmy wanted to show me his new gun, get my opinion on it. He's shown me some of his other guns before but this one was different. Two barrels, two muzzles, a bit longer than the standard issue revolvers. It was also behind me but I remembered the feeling from Gotham, so I focused on the gun rather than what Jimmy was doing. I was just starting to get a good visual when I lost the sense. For that matter, I seem to have blacked out or something as next thing I remember was Jimmy confirming the time he'll be by my apartment later to show me his other pieces." 

"Any other senses?" Kyle inquired, quite interested in the conversation. 

Barry shook his head. "No, not yet. I've been around guns for years but never had this new sense of them before. Floyd's sniper was the first time." 

Kyle got up off the bed and headed to the wall where his weapon caches were hanging. "Move to the centre and face the bathroom, close your eyes." 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked in confusion, but once he realised he wasn't the slightest bit uncomfortable, he proceeded to follow the directions. 

Eyes closed, Barry focused on his breathing, steadying it before he focused on his ears. As silent as the Hunter was, Barry was soon able to pick up the slightest movement from the wall behind him, and the tiny click as one of the caches opened. Within moments, he felt the weight of three items settle on the bed behind him. 

Kyle spoke into the silence. "You may have your eyes open or closed for this but sometimes it is easier to be without sight as it heightens the other senses." 

Barry nodded, knowing the full truth of that. He half-opened his eyes, leaving them glazed over but soon discovered that his other senses diminished a bit, so he closed them again. 

"What do you feel?" 

Barry thought for a moment and shrugged. "I know you placed three items behind me, I feel their weight on the bed but that's it." 

"You're thinking too much," Kyle scolded him which nearly made Barry laugh as he had never heard that particular tone before. "Relax, tune out everything." 

Easier said than done but Barry tried, as he slowed his breathing even more. Thinking back to Gotham, remembering Hart's soothingly powerful tone, the air soon fluttered around him. Relaxing even more, he started to gain a sense of the items behind him, slowly gaining their outlines. 

He had no idea how much time had passed before a single word passed through his lips, "Lego." He blinked his eyes open wondering where _that_ came from as the word appeared out of nowhere. 

"Uh ... one sec." 

Barry closed his eyes again, regained the sense and his attention swiveled over to the item behind his right arm. The item felt lighter than the other two, different material, has a long barrel ... 

"That's a custom automatic sniper with a bonus crossbow bolt attachment, made out of freakin' Lego!" Barry awed, not because of his new sense but because of how cool such a weapon would look if it were a real thing, and even more so that Kyle even had Lego! "I want one!" 

Kyle laughed behind him. "Very good! How about the one on the left?" 

Still grinning, Barry settled himself again and directed his attention over to the left, pausing briefly at the item in the centre. After a few minutes, he gained the outline. A semi-long barrel, shorter than Floyd's sniper by half, but also an extension on top for viewing. The muzzle itself had a one-inch extension for the bullet to actually come out of. Barry's breathing hitched as more details came into focus. 

"Mandalorian blaster pistol, heavily customised ... " his arm snaked back and snatched up the pistol, bringing it around to his focus and whistled. "Exactly like the one Boba Fett used at the Great Pit of Carkoon! Cisco would love this! Where did you get this?" 

Kyle beamed. "10th year Hunter anniversary, Floyd made it." 

"Daaaaaamn," Barry awed inspecting every inch of the pistol. "Dick as he is, he sure is talented." 

"Don't ever tell him that," Kyle warned him. 

Barry laughed, remembering the previous warning from back in Gotham. "Promise. I don't think I can tolerate him if he ever knew I had an inkling of acceptance for him." 

Kyle laughed lightly then brought his focus back to the task at hand. "How about the middle one?" 

"Oh, that?" Barry tilted his head in thought for a second. "That's your own custom piece that you always keep on your left hip." 

"You sure it's not the right piece?" Kyle inquired. 

"Nah," Barry shook his head. "You're currently lighter on your left side, meaning your gun is not where it should be. I can tell by the way you move and how your muscles twitch, your clothing." 

"Maybe I moved the left over to the right?" Kyle challenged him. 

Barry shook his head again. "No, because your right gun is exactly where it should be. I can tell by how it hangs down off your hip, how it curves slightly into your body, as if caressing. It would look totally weird if you moved it to your left hip. Plus, your left gun is on the bed, I can tell by the curve, how there's a slight pocket of air in that curve while the rest of the gun is settled nicely against the blanket." 

Turning around, Barry picked up the custom piece and ran his fingers lightly over it. "Feels very nice, both light-weight and heavy-duty at the same time. Fits snuggly in my left hand due to that slight curve." Barry frowned for a moment over the curve. "Guns normally don't have this kind of curve in the grip, they're usually straight due to the kick they give off. This kind of curve, the kick would be felt a great deal. In normal hands, the kick could very easily shatter bones." 

Barry whistled as he remembered. "In your hands, however, you have the means to shield yourself, and can distort your hand enough so the kick is barely felt. No danger to you at all." 

He looked up into the eyes of a very beaming Hunter as he passed the gun over. Kyle settled it back into its proper place on his left hip. Glancing down, Barry saw the Lego sniper and practically drooled over how amazing it looked. Who knew that Kyle was such a Lego Master? 

"You did well, gaining the sense of the three guns, even if one is Lego, and one a replica. Do you understand why?" 

Barry flinched as he heard the bolt thud into the wall, a mere inch away from the side of Kyle's neck. "This Lego is loaded! For real!!!" 

Without blinking or turning his head, Kyle neatly retrieved the bolt and settled himself on the bed, plucking the deadly Lego weapon out of Barry's hands. 

"Of course, it's real," Kyle told him. "I never have a weapon that cannot be used as a weapon." 

Barry's eyes went back to the blaster pistol, eyes sparkling. He was reaching out to it when Kyle snatched it away. 

"Not a toy," Kyle scolded him again, "and very much fully functional. Hart isn't the only one that can create custom items." Kyle set the two guns aside and turned back to him before asking, "How did you activate your sense?" 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over. "Being relaxed, slowed down my breathing, tuned everything out." 

"But?" 

Barry shook his head. "That didn't seem to be enough. I focused back to Gotham and the sense appeared." 

"Just like at the precinct," Kyle nodded. 

"Yes. Wait ... is Gotham the trigger?" Barry asked, but he didn't think it was Gotham itself even though he was focused on Gotham. 

"No, not quite," Kyle told him. 

Closing his eyes, Barry thought about Gotham but felt nothing. He thought about Floyd and his sniper, nothing again. Circling around in his memory, his heart thudded at seeing how calm Hartley looked, casually leaning against the wall. He remembered his words, the tone, how they felt, how Hart felt ... 

Silent movement behind him, Barry neatly caught the energy bar that nearly plastered against the back of his skull. Opening his eyes, pulling his hand around to inspect the bar, he grinned as he shoved it in his mouth. His stomach growled at having gone without food for too long. 

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence and Barry had the vague feeling that he was forgetting something. Glancing back at Kyle, he remembered that the Hunter was still waiting for his response. 

"Oh! Uh ... right," Barry flustered, cheeks burning, and only just started noticing his own twitching. Looking down, he turned even redder at seeing the wet spot. 

"Good, you understand," Kyle grinned, interrupting his focus. "Your new sense came around as heightened senses are part of the arsenal of an Empath." 

Barry blinked. "What? But Hart's the Empath, not me." 

"Ah, I get it," Hartley commented as he settled down next to Barry. "It's because my Empathy emerged that you were able to tap into it to sense things behind you, out of your vision. Barry, our Network is revolved around you. As the rest of us awaken and grow stronger, you also grow stronger. Tell me, how was your Healing before you found us at the grocery store?" 

Barry thought back to that eventful day and blushed. "Ah, self-healing only. It was only when I found you guys that I was able to extend my healing to you." 

Hartley nodded. "It was also your presence and touch of your Healing that woke my own Healing. Our combined Healing made us gain new experiences together, become stronger together, and we were able to fix up my body. Also, over the last few weeks, you started being able to pick up my sense, my presence, able to zone in my location without a single thought. Even though Empathy hadn't yet emerged, I felt it inside me but didn't know what it was until Gotham. You being our Force Master, you picked up on Empathy without realising you were doing so. You may not know this, Barry, but even though Speed is your Force, you are running on pure heart. The more you feel, the greater your Speed." 

Barry blinked, fully understanding. "It's true. When out on regular patrol, my Speed feels casual, normal. However, I see a burning building, I can't help but think about all those who are still in the building; I feel the increase as I get them out of the building." 

Hartley hummed in agreement. "How's your phasing?" 

"Huh?" Barry blinked wondering what phasing had to do with empathy. "Hadn't really thought about it, actually ... " Barry's eyes sparked. "Come to think of it, it's been awhile since I had to actually _think_ about phasing. I just do it as I seem to automatically adjust to the proper frequency. Huh ... interesting." 

Hartley reached for his hand and pressed it against Kyle's chest. "Take a look." 

Barry focused on their hands pressed against the Hunter's chest and peered passed them. What he saw was a brilliant blue Network inside of Kyle, much like the one inside of Hartley. He immediately sensed recognition in that Network, and, without thinking about it, he sent some of his own energies into their Hunter. He blinked rapidly, watching how Kyle's energy network reacted to his offering. "Whoa ... " 

Hartley smiled. "Quite amazing, right? Beautiful Network. Part of my duty is making sure our energy networks remain intact so scanning you guys is going to be a regular thing." 

Barry watched, mesmerised, as swirling grey-white energies roamed along his outstretched arm. "Kyle ... he ... I ... " 

Hartley nodded. "Yes, Kyle is part of our Network. How does he feel?" 

Barry awed at the feelings he was gaining from Kyle's energies. "Familiar, comfortable, dependable, so many feelings I can't even come up with all the words." 

Hartley snorted. "Geeze, all I ever got from you was a Good feeling." 

Barry giggled, partially because he remembered that particular conversation, and partially because of how the smokey tendrils tickled his skin as they sank beneath the surface of his arm. After a few moments, when Kyle reined his energies back, Barry's arm felt looser and more relaxed. 

"So, what exactly does Kyle have?" Barry asked as he wiggled his fingers, watching as some of his own sparks emerged in search of new spark friends. 

"Uncertain," Hartley replied, letting loose some of his own blue-green sparks. "It relates to your phasing ability, that's all I know." 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over as their combined sparks mingled with Kyle's. "Phasing and Vibration both deal with frequencies and are similar to one another, yet vastly different. Vibration is more changing things around me, like the air, and can shatter objects. Phasing, however, is more melding myself into the surroundings, without changing anything, as I pass through objects. Vibration is matching items to my frequency; Phasing is matching myself to the frequency of other items. Since we're discussing phasing, and Kyle seems to enhance my phasing, he's also a Meta with energy tendrils ... " Various words bounced around his head until one particular word stood out. "Distortion." 

Kyle's body flickered at the word and Barry knew he guessed correctly. 

"How you managed to figure that out, I will never know," Hartley awed. 

"Force Master, remember?" Barry grinned, even though it really was just a lucky guess and the word seemed to fit. 

"Honestly," Hartley snorted. "Just don't let your title turn you into a conceited, arrogant ... " 

Barry turned and kissed his partner, unwilling to hear the rest of that thought. 

Even though he needed to discuss guns more with Kyle, Barry felt he needed a break from such a difficult topic. Tuning out the Hunter completely, he put his entire focus on his Empath bearer, turning his precious Hart into a sweaty pile of mush. 

\----------------------------------------------

Kyle was feeling quite happy; at his life, his assignment, his friends. Before that fateful day at the grocery store, Kyle was nothing more than a Bounty Hunter, taking on jobs, executing those jobs, for various clients around Central City and surrounding cities as well. He also visits Gotham quite often to visit his Hunter brothers, swapping experiences, stories, a bit of gossip, and updating their database. Many new pieces of equipment are routinely obtained on those visits, including the newest batch of clamps that Barry was thoughtful enough to test out before leaving Gotham. 

Kyle was quite pleased with his current assignment, keeping an eye on the younger Hartley Rathaway, ensuring he was safe at all times and in no danger of being abducted again. He had always liked Hart, based on their few encounters over the years. These last few months, being in close proximity to the technical engineer, Kyle had grown quite fond of him, to the point where he would stab anyone in the eyes if they ever turned their gaze in Hart's direction. 

As dedicated as Kyle was to his duties, he also realises that even he cannot be around Hartley all the time. There are also times when Leonard and Mick are not available, and Barry often gets called away on Flash duty. Which is why, after some heavy research in the past several weeks, Kyle felt pleased with the precinct guys looking out for Hart. Kenneth and Jackson have proven themselves more than worthy to be protectors, both physically and mentally. 

Oh yes, Kyle had certainly picked up on something unique about the pair, but the sense was still too new to determine anything for certain. He plans to keep a watchful eye on the pair to make sure nothing goes amiss. He also plans to watch over Calvin as the young tech's powers are not all that different from his own. 

Kyle beamed at knowing he has a Force of his own, aside from his Meta powers, and being under the jurisdiction of the Speed Force; he couldn't be happier as he very much liked Barry. It was thanks to Barry that Kyle's life had turned around and became so much better, more meaningful, as it was Barry they saw at the grocery store that day. 

Feeling a slight strain in his stomach, Kyle got up off the bed, leaving his precious charges to continue their intimacy. Mick had been away much of the week but Kyle heard him return a few minutes ago. Exiting the bedroom, he sought out the pyro in hopes of requesting chili. Very rarely Kyle gets a craving, but reflecting back on that fateful day, he thought it would be nice to have chili again. 

\----------------------------------------------

"You're thinking again." 

Barry sighed as he shifted his weight so he was half on the bed, half on his partner. He took a moment to inhale Hart's scent just behind the ear before responding. "Thinking about Kyle." 

"Oh?" came the deadpan reply which caused Barry to wince then giggle. 

"Okay, okay, that came out wrong, thinking about another guy when I'm with you," Barry attempted to explain while trailing his fingers down Hart's chest. 

"You _think_?!" Hartley grunted just as Barry lightly ran fingers across the semi-erect cock that was beginning to harden again. He then began to giggle. "Alright, what is it about Kyle that's on your mind?" 

"He's easy," Barry replied. 

"Uh ... " Hartley blinked up in confusion and Barry immediately realised that his comment could be taken a number of ways. 

"I mean, he's easy to talk to. Very knowledgeable, dependable, easy to approach ... " Hartley arched an eyebrow at that last one. "Okay, he's a big scary looking guy with big guns that he knows how to use very well but let's face it, he's also the most sensitive, big-hearted guy we know." 

Hartley hummed in agreement as his body twitched in response to Barry's fingers caressing his slit. "True, to most people, Kyle is very deadly. To us, he's our greatest ally, companion, friend, partner. I trust him in all things and I'm pleased to see you are also gaining that same level of trust in him." 

"Pretty easy to trust the guy when he trusts me as well," Barry sighed again. "I just hope I don't let him down, be less than what he expects of me." 

"Barry," Hartley rolled so he was now half on Barry, much the same as when Barry was on him. Barry allowed himself to be pressed back into the mattress, gazing into those now sparking blue eyes that were normally green. 

Hartley continued. "You could never do anything wrong in Kyle's eyes. You do not need to do anything to impress him or increase his approval of you. All you need to do is be yourself. Kyle adored you from the moment we saw you at the grocery store that day, panicking and whining over peppers. Believe me, there really isn't anything more embarrassingly adorable than that." 

Barry flushed at both the memory of the day in question and the reminder about his whininess. 

"Barry, Kyle likes your pure heart and how you always put us, _put me_ , before you, making sure we're okay. As long as I'm foremost on your sleepy braincell, you will always have Kyle's approval. Trust me on that." 

Barry yawned, realising he really was sleepy. "Mmm, how am I supposed to sleep if you're always on my mind?" 

"Just pretend you're at work, that always puts you to sleep," Hartley told him. 

Barry felt those soft lips upon his, felt warm energies flowing between them. He closed his eyes feeling quite blissful as Hartley got up off the bed. 

"Get some sleep, I'll check back in a bit," Hartley spoke fondly, and within seconds, Barry fell asleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Three cold guns on the table before him, all in varying stages of assembly, Leonard leaned back against the sofa cushions, deep in thought. 

The past two weeks had been quite draining on him, from dealing with his Rogues in their actions toward Barry, to furthering his plans on an upcoming heist that he needs his Rogues' assistance with, to having his own Force energies emerge. Then there's the fact that Barry is still annoyed with him -- thankfully, not quite as much now -- and having had worried about him when he skipped off to Gotham; any number of things could have happened to the speedster. Gotham is quite the challenging, and very dangerous city that Barry has zero experience with. At least both Hartley and Kyle were familiar with Gotham, with having been there before, Kyle on numerous occasions. 

In hindsight, he should have kept in better touch with Barry, or at least informed him why he was keeping absent that week. Leonard needed to stay focused on dealing with his Rogues, couldn't afford Barry influencing his decision; he needed to be in a specific mindset to analyse all that the Rogues told him, and decide what to do with them. Barry would have been too distracting, as, Leonard had grown to realise, he always felt odd when Barry was around, more focused on him rather than his work; more focused on what he wanted to do to Barry, rather than focusing on his intel gathering from around Central City. 

Now that he has his Rogues focused on different parts of the City for the intel gathering, Leonard felt more at ease. Turns out, his Rogues were restless, especially having some of their recent heists interfered with by other gangs, most notably those along the West side. They were agitated and full of pent up, negative energy; they captured Barry just to prove to themselves, and all those who would listen to their bragging, that the Rogues were still the best criminal organisation in Central City. That, and, they really couldn't get over the fact that Hartley beat them years ago in the capture of Barry Allen, soon to be the Flash. 

Redirecting their energies seemed the best course of action, along with giving his Rogues 101 reasons to keep their hands off of Barry. The only times he will allow his Rogues to approach Barry is when they have information to pass along that could prove useful in keeping the City safe. One such piece of information Leonard hoped to obtain soon is Mardon's latest weather readings, and the locations of any abnormalities, as that intel will prove useful in tracking down those pulse transmitters scattered above the City. 

Now that Barry, Hartley and Kyle have returned from Gotham, he felt even more at ease, having them home where it's safe, where he can keep a close eye on them. Leonard would never admit it, but he worried about them every single day they were gone. He knew Kyle was perfectly capable of keeping Hartley safe, and their allies over there were more than capable as well, but being capable doesn't mean immunity. There are still a vast amount of unknown dangers in the world, even right here in Central City, that can catch the most experienced, the most deadly, unawares. If anyone knew what abilities Kyle possesses as a Meta, and if they even follow the News and Social Media where it's been shown many times how Metas are captured, then Kyle could easily be at risk to having his powers removed before becoming subjected to numerous attacks, including a multitude of bullets. Skilled as the Hunter was, nobody is immune to every attack. 

"You okay, Boss?" 

The curious tone penetrated his thoughts, bringing Leonard back to the present. "Yes, just thinking, is all. They okay in there?" 

"For now," came Kyle's response as he watched the Hunter settle himself down in a chair. "Barry has a lot on his mind." 

Sitting up straighter, Leonard gave Kyle his full attention. "Anything in particular?" Barry certainly had a lot of things on his mind these past few weeks, with specific topics changing daily. 

"Personal safety," Kyle told him. "In Gotham, he inquired about Hunter equipment, both standard and custom. As you know, not all Hunters carry the same equipment, but there are a few standard pieces that are part of every Hunter's arsenal. However, each Hunter becomes unique by the custom pieces they carry. Barry is concerned about having such equipment, both the weaponry and capture devices, directed at him, catching him off-guard." 

Leonard nodded, seeing the full sense in the request. "Being able to handle all kinds of weaponry and equipment, both offensively and defensively, is essential for survival. Knowledge is the most powerful of them all." 

To his amazement, Kyle shook his head. "No, knowledge is only the second most powerful. At least, in Barry's case." 

Leonard had to think about that for a few minutes, wondering what could possibly be more powerful than knowledge. 

Lost in thought again, he heard Mick step out of the shower, watched as Kyle stood up to talk to the pyro, and heard bits of their conversation about chili. Mick then rummaged through the cupboards, making note of what ingredients he was low on and needed. Watching them, he admired how well they got along, talking freely, comfortably, Kyle was even smiling easily rather than forced. They have known Kyle for years, but back then, it had been mostly business, and a strained one at that, especially when Lewis was around. Now, these last couple of months, Kyle has become more of a daily fixture in their lives, more friend than associate. Reflecting back, Leonard knew that he had the best idea in his entire life when he suggested to Kyle that he and Hartley should head to the grocery store nearest the CCPD that day. 

That brought his thinking back to Barry, to the topic at hand. Leonard knew Barry had a lot of energy, a lot of power, but he also knew that the Speed Force does not define Barry at all. What defined Barry was ... 

Leonard blinked, having his answer. "Heart," he spoke softly. 

Kyle beamed as he came back over. "Yes, Barry's purest energy source is his heart." 

"He's worried he might become tampered with," Leonard continued, fully getting it. "His heart might diminish, become infested, turn dark like what had happened to Hartley over the years. Barry has been feeling overwhelmed lately, in some situations; he hasn't gotten over what the Rogues have done to him, putting him in a helpless situation that he couldn't get out of. That's why he wants to explore your equipment, become familiar with them, learn how they work and figure out escape tactics. There's nothing worse than feeling helpless, unable to do anything; that opens him up to darkness, become vulnerable." 

Kyle nodded. "Feeling helpless is not something anyone enjoys. The purer the heart, the more affected that person becomes." 

"What finally prompted him to talk to you?" Leonard knew that weapons, more specifically guns, had been on Barry's mind off and on these past couple of months but hadn't actually discussed his concerns much with anyone. He was mighty curious as to what happened in Gotham that brought the young hero forward. 

"Floyd," came the unexpected reply; Leonard couldn't fathom how the Gotham Hunter could possibly have encouraged Barry to speak up. 

Kyle elaborated further. "Barry showed interest in Floyd's custom sniper, curious in how it worked, how it differed from normal snipers. Floyd was more than pleased to satisfy his curiosity. During that time, Barry gained a sense of the sniper when it was behind him, out of vision. Able to determine many features about the gun without turning around, based on how it moved, how it sounded when moving, how the air fluttered around it. Able to determine its weight, length, size of the muzzle, various attachments. It was a new feeling to him. Barry hadn't discussed that feeling back in Gotham but we did discuss it this morning." 

Kyle paused for a moment while Leonard absorbed this new information, then continued. "After talking with Floyd, Barry inquired about Hunter weapons in general and wanted me to show him my gear when we got back to Central. Sadly, events happened that delayed the discussion, until now. I did show him the retractable cord that Hartley created, along with the new clamps Floyd gave me, before coming back home. The clamps interested Barry quite a bit as they had a variety of uses. Some are made purely for Meta captures, others for more normal targets. There are also two special-made clamps specifically for Barry alone." 

That intrigued Leonard. "Oh? For what purpose?" He had a feeling he already knew, but considering these were Hunters, he wouldn't put it past them to have measures in place in the event that Barry took a bad turn and needed to be stopped. 

Kyle grinned. "Pleasure, vibrating clamps. I also have a trio of clamps that work in unison with one another in the event that I need to capture Barry, bring him back under control." 

"Ah," Leonard nodded. As expected, the Hunters came up with very clever gear, much like Hartley does, never failing to amaze him. "Why now?" 

Kyle knew exactly what he meant. "Earlier this week, Barry had an encounter with another at the precinct, which prompted my newest contract. He has very little memory of the incident but we have the video footage thanks to the new Hunter Cam I installed. I regret not informing you before now, but the week had been quite busy and you were still focused on the Rogues." Kyle sighed during the apology; Leonard knew that his Hunter deeply regretted not telling him sooner. 

Collecting his thoughts, Kyle continued. "The one in question was not around for rest of the week so no more issues, for now. It was during their encounter that Barry gained that new sense again, of items behind him, out of sight. He was also troubled by his memory loss. I should mention that his main reason for heading to Gotham was because of nightmares; he knew of my experience with them and wished to discuss them with me. He's beginning to think that something is wrong with him, with the nightmares, the memory lapses, the recent inabilities to break out of restraints. By showing him the cord and the clamps, I was able to regain some of his light as he was able to free himself from those items. All he needed was patience, a clear head, and the required time to figure out where the releases were." 

Leonard nodded. "As long as he's not feeling overwhelmed or panicked, Barry can get himself out of any situation. I am worried about the nightmares, though." 

"As am I," Kyle spoke softly. "I am confident I will be able to assist Barry in dealing with those nightmares, much as I did with Hartley these past few months. I am certain that undergoing more positive activities regularly will boost his mentality." 

Leonard knew there wasn't anything he could do about the nightmares at that time, and he was more than willing to let Kyle handle that side of things due to the Hunter's experience, but he still worried. "What about this new sense?" 

Kyle beamed again. "That was our focus in the discussion this morning. Barry told me about the sense, I had an idea of how it came about, and put him to the test. He was able to identify the three weapons I placed on the bed behind him by getting him to focus, to remember how he felt back in Gotham when the sense first occurred. Barry's new sense came about because Hartley's Empath emerged that same day." 

Leonard blinked. "Like how his Healing grew stronger when he encountered Hartley again?" 

Kyle nodded. "Very much so. I know you gained some knowledge of our Force Network but what you don't know is that as each of those under the jurisdiction of the Speed Force awaken, and our Forces become attuned to Barry, the stronger he becomes. His Healing is stronger, his senses are more keen, his phasing has become more natural where he no longer needs to think about it. With your Time emergence, I have noticed the increase in Barry's speed, and ability to maneuver more precisely. Combine Time with the heightened senses of an Empath, Barry is able to react much more fluidly. Quite an impressive sight, I assure you, like a perfectly orchestrated dance." 

As awed as he was by all this incredible information, one specific point caught Leonard's attention the most. "You're a Force bearer?" 

"Yes," Kyle replied cheerfully. "I bear the Force known as Distortion, which relates to Barry's Phase." 

"Which conveniently also relates to your Meta powers," Leonard grinned, knowing full well that phasing is about melding one into their surroundings, flowing through the environment without affecting anything. "How many?" 

"Four of us now, seven total, three to be found." 

Leonard nodded. He had a feeling Mick was likely one of them, and he's quite certain that Hartley would be able to find that out easily enough, as he had done with him before Gotham. As for the other two, he had a strong feeling about that young tech from the precinct, Calvin, but had no clue about the final member. 

"We should get Hart to check Mick out," he informed the Hunter. He immediately heard a chuckle behind him. 

"Anytime he wanna check me out, I'm game," Mick grinned. 

"Check what out?" Hartley appeared from the bedroom. "Barry's taking a nap." 

"See if Mick has the Network," Leonard told his precious partner. 

"Ah," Hartley nodded and Leonard saw the blue sparks appear in those pretty eyes. They watched as Hart reached out, placing his palm on Mick's chest, peering inward. After a few moments, the Empath nodded again. "He's ours." 

"Course I am, ain't belongin' ter nobody else," Mick growled fondly. 

Leonard smiled at the comment, feeling relieved. "Any idea what he has?" 

Hartley shook his head. "Uncertain. Not until he starts displaying any sort of Force ability and even at that, Barry would need to take a proper look, gain his sense. All this time, we thought Kyle was displaying his Meta powers but it was back in Gotham that I realised he had our Force Network. It was only this morning that it was revealed exactly what Kyle had. For all I know, Mick could have been displaying his Force ability without us knowing about it. Later tonight, or tomorrow, when Barry is feeling well enough, I'll get him to check Mick out more thoroughly." 

"I'm game," Mick grinned his wicked grin. "Been awhile since I played with Red. Fer now, you and me got some ingredients to check out." 

"Ah, sure," Hartley stumbled as Mick grasped his arm, pulling him toward the door. "Can we make a stop along the way?" 

"Make all the stops ya need," Mick told him as he hauled him out the door. 

"Five down, two to go," Kyle commented. 

"Indeed," Leonard agreed. "Damn glad Mick is ours. His strength and heart will greatly benefit us for the incoming storm." 

"Oh?" Kyle's interest piqued and Leonard realised that he hadn't discussed this feeling much with anyone, aside from Hartley briefly, a few weeks ago. 

"It's only a vague feeling, fuzzy, but for awhile Central City has been feeling unsettled, like something in the air, a warning of incoming change. It may only be the pulse transmitters scattered above the City, now that we know about them, but now I'm also thinking I may be tapping into a different aspect of Time, now that I know of its existence." 

"When did these feelings begin?" Kyle asked, very much focused on this new topic. 

Leonard had to think about that, thinking back over the weeks; then it clicked. "It had grown more just before you guys headed out to Gotham, but I didn't start feeling much of anything until our first night with Barry. Didn't think much of it then, but the sense steadily grew as he came here more often." 

Kyle beamed. "Exactly how I felt. My Meta powers felt casual before that grocery day; since then, I have felt stronger, able to mist up on instinct, more quickly. Now that I am attuned to Barry's Speed Force, I am, again, stronger than I was before; I feel the change. I also have a new sense that help pinpoint Barry's location when I focus enough. For that matter, since becoming attuned, I am now able to pick up Hart's sense as well, and I am certain I will also pick up your sense when we're not in such close proximity to one another." 

Leonard nodded. "Now that you mention it, when I think about it, focused as you say, I can sense Barry sound asleep. I can't quite pick up Hart's exact location but I can sense he's okay and he's with someone trustworthy. I do know they're not at the grocery store, but at some residential district somewhere up North." 

"With practice, you will be able to pinpoint more accurately, but it is enough for now to know that both Barry and Hart are doing okay at this present moment." 

"Indeed," Leonard agreed, thinking over everything they have discussed. If anyone had told him years ago how he would become a Force bearer, that he could wield a Time bubble, he would have laughed and likely have shot that person dead. Now? Leonard had to admit, he's quite glad to have this new power and especially so being under the jurisdiction of the Speed Force. With everything that has happened over these past few months, he has grown quite fond of Barry and become even closer to Kyle; he had always been quite close to both Mick and Hartley, but now that he knows that he can connect with both on an even deeper level, well, it's both a frightening thought, yet very much welcomed. He has no idea what will come in the coming weeks, but Leonard felt immensely grateful that they have a solid team to face anything that comes their way. 

Refocusing back on Kyle, Leonard brought their discussion back to Barry's request to study the Hunter's weapons, making plans to grant the speedster his wish. After all, it's all in the name of safety, both personal and in protecting others. And if Barry's confidence is boosted, and his heart becomes lighter, then all the better. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Sure dis is right place?" Mick asked as they got out of the car. 

Looking around at their surroundings, Hartley could understand the pyro's confusion. He had directed his friend to a rather nice neighbourhood with smooth roads, freshly cut lawns, and with the sounds of sprinklers, cheerful kids and barking dogs infiltrating the air. 

Heading up to the house, Hartley smiled, feeling quite calm, very much at peace. Without responding, he rang the doorbell while Mick took his time following. 

Soon as the door opened, two fuzzy puppies bounded out, giving him a brief customary welcome before tackling the big brutish guy on their front lawn. The puppies were followed by a kitten with bizarre red markings, and two very hyper youngsters. 

"Kayden, Kaelia, don't get your new ... oh, honestly. Hello dear, that husband of mine should be down in a ... Kayden!" 

Hartley neatly stepped aside as Emma bounded out the door, plucking a muddy twin out of a puddle and fussing over Mick's pants full of pawprints, puppy slobberings, and chocolate hand prints. 

"As always, you're the cause of all the commotion," Gagne commented from behind him. 

Hartley snorted. "As if, I think the Cause Award should go to Barry." 

"No doubt," Gagne laughed. "Come on in. Knowing that wife of mine, Mick will be doing various yardwork ... ah, already at it, moving the sprinkler around to the back." 

Hearing the exasperated sigh, Hartley hid his smile as he turned to follow his friend inside. Settling himself into a chair in Gagne's private office, he accepted the offered tea, taking a sip while he collected his thoughts. "How was Keystone?" 

Gagne sat down in his own chair and growled. "Great, excellent, fantastic! Wonderful time especially with that new dualing boomerang kid running around. Before you ask, no, he's not a Meta and no relation to our big boomerang kid here in Central. If anything, the kid's a fan. About 16, believed he could do anything. Not acting quite so invincible now that he accidently landed three people in the hospital. Punctured a wheel on a moving car and struck an 18-wheeler. Wally appeared right before any serious damage could be done to the humans but they were still taken to hospital for patch up jobs and deal with shock. Both car and truck are complete write-offs." 

"Damn," Hartley hissed. "It's good that Keystone has their own Flash, otherwise nobody would have gotten there quick enough. What of the kid?" 

"Going through intense schooling of the consequences to his reckless actions. He's under a mentorship, getting first hand glimpses of accidents, and going through training, putting all that energy to better use. If all works out, he could become a mentor himself, educating other kids in roadside safety." 

"Good," Hartley felt relieved that the kid wouldn't be going to prison, and immensely grateful that the kid is being taught useful things to better himself. He really didn't care for the usage of prison to hold children, especially based on the rumours he's heard about Iron Heights. He had never been inside those walls himself, but the other Rogues have done time in there, off and on. They hadn't spoken much of their time but he hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary back then. For that matter, even Mick seemed to have a rather ordinary, boring time during his last stint inside, back when the Particle Accelerator exploded. However, he did catch wind of a rumour saying that there was a new Warden in a particular part of the Heights, a section that Mick wasn't in. He made a mental note to look into that further when he got the chance. 

Focusing back on the purpose of this visit, Hartley hauled two cases out of his pockets. Popping open the lids, he settled them on the desk, facing Gagne, who's eyes lit up brightly. 

"Hart, these ... these ... " 

He smiled, watching as his friend examined both the necklace and bracelet with an experienced eye. It was when Gagne was feeling the gems in the bracelet that Hartley reached forward, placing his hand over Gagne's. 

Feeding some energy through Gagne's finger on the top-most Star gem, Hartley filled that gem with Gagne's sense, feeling the matching pulse with its host. Moving Gagne's finger down to the middle gem, he asked, "What do you feel?" 

"Hmm," Gagne peered at their fingers, saw the gem flicker, and he beamed. "Pulsing, happy, giggly." 

"And the third gem?" Hartley moved their fingers down to it. 

"Very much giggly, and also a bit defiant," Gagne growled fondly. Hartley removed his own hand, watching as his friend continued examining the three Star gems. "I don't feel much from the top gem, though." 

"You wouldn't as that top Star gem is attuned to your frequency," Hartley explained. "The middle gem is attuned to Kaelia, the bottom one to Kayden. Emma will be able to sense you guys so long as she wears the matching necklace. The necklace is matched to her personal frequency; when she's thinking about you three, she'll know exactly how you are doing. Also, with the gems attuned to you and the twins, they will flicker and alert Emma if anything is wrong." 

Gagne whistled. "Like a very extremely advanced version of the mood ring." Hartley snorted, as Leonard stated much the same thing. "You do realise I only wanted something simple, like a bracelet with a simple clasp?" 

"This IS simple," Hartley grinned, "for me, at least. Emma deserves some peace of mind, as I do know she worries about you when you're at work. You and the twins are her everything. Knowing you three are safe means she sleeps easier at night." 

"Man, you are something else," Gagne smiled, fingers running through the chain of the necklace, feeling the unique clasp at the back. "What's this made of anyway? Weird clasp." 

"The chain, clasps, and the gems in the bracelet are made from Dwarf Star. Chain and clasps are from the basic Star, very strong, durable, will never snap or break. The clasps can only be opened by gentle fingers with pure intent, in this case, yours and Emma's. The gems in the bracelet are from the newly discovered Star that runs on emotions. Attuned properly, the Star picks up every emotion of its intended host, as you've now seen." 

Gagne whistled in approval. "Hart, this is beyond incredible. I don't even know how to properly thank you." 

"Just knowing that the two of you and the twins are doing well and are happy, that's more than enough for my own peace of mind." Hartley leaned back in his chair, watching Gagne place the items back neatly into their cases. He really didn't want to interrupt the moment but he trusted Gagne too much to not tell him. 

"Gagne, something's happening in Central City, you may have sensed some changes in the air, or felt uneasy." Gagne nodded, slowly, and Hartley continued. "We're working on figuring out what's happening, as, whatever it is, it's causing an increase in aggressive Meta Beasts. There's also a lot of unease happening along the West side. Have you heard anything while in Keystone?" 

"Hmm," Gagne sat back in his own chair and thought back through the past week. "Nothing specific but Wally did appear restless. I was over in Keystone to help out in the Forensics Lab and Wally was a huge help during the backlog, nearly Barry's equal in accuracy and speed. He did mention possible unsettling along their South-East and North-East districts. Nothing yet alarming, but enough for him to keep his ears open." 

"Okay, I'll make sure Barry checks with him, so we can get information as Wally receives them. We don't know what's coming, but something is. Can I check you for something?" Hartley didn't think Gagne would have an energy network but he wanted to be sure. 

It was a moment before Gagne consented to the search. Reaching a palm out to his friend's chest, Hartley peered inward. As expected, "No Force Network but ... you do have some minor energy within you that recognised my own. Interesting." 

"Is that good?" Gagne inquired, not quite understanding. 

Hartley debated on how much to tell his friend, quickly deciding that he really doesn't have anything to hide that Gagne wouldn't have already figured out by now, or will soon figure out on his own. He trusted Gagne as much as Gagne trusted him. 

"Very much so. Gagne, I'm not a Meta but I am part of a Force Network, under the jurisdiction of the Speed Force. I'm sure you know who that is?" Gagne grinned in confirmation. "We're still missing two members of our Network, sooner we find them, sooner we become better prepared for whatever's coming. I had to check to see if there was any sort of network within you, as, you are one of our closest friends, as are Kenneth and Jackson. We trust you completely. Even though you don't have the Force Network, it's incredible that you do contain some sort of minor energies within you, a tiny flicker of a minor network, and one that recognised mine. I don't know what this means as we only learned about the Force Network recently, and the fact that there are multiple Force Networks out there. It is very likely that you are part of our Support Network, outside the main Force Network but still under our jurisdiction. I will need to get Barry to scan you as only he can tell for certain." 

Finishing his tea, Hartley placed the empty cup on the desk, making use of the coaster sitting there. He really had no idea how Gagne would react to the news about the incoming trouble and having some sort of energy flowing within him. 

"Alright," Gagne spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "First order of business is to keep our eyes and ears open for whatever it is that's coming. Second, get through Emma's birthday on Tuesday, and I can assure you that she will absolutely love this set. Third, figure out what use my newfound energy can be to us, and how I can utilise it to help protect my family." 

Hartley nodded. "Agreed on all three. Kyle can help us figure out your energies as he's part of our Network, and he's already familiar with you. Leonard and Mick are also ours but their primary focus is on their informants scattered around Central City." 

"What about Kenny and Jacks?" 

Hartley thought about the two officers for a moment and shook his head. "Great guys, but I don't believe they are part of our Network. I do have a strange sense about them, but haven't had a chance to scan them. If anything, they would likely fall in with you, as part of the Support Network." 

"Damn, I hope so," Gagne spoke strongly. "I like them two, the twins adore them, Emma has mentioned that they stopped by numerous times this past week, checking up on them. They're like our own personal bodyguards." 

"I know the feeling," Hartley grinned. "Barry mentioned how they, you and Calvin had looked out for him when me and Kyle were in Gotham. I much appreciate it." 

Gagne waved off the thanks. "No problem, just doing our duty in helping keep Central City safe by keeping its Hero somewhat functioning. Just, don't run off to another city without him anytime soon, kay? Adorable dork as he is, he can be awfully needy and quite moody. My twins weren't even half that bad during their toddler years!" 

Hartley laughed, feeling so much better. "Understood. Just think of the jewelry set as a payment for your babysitting service." 

"Deal," Gagne grinned and stood up. 

Just as Hartley stood up, he sensed an energy decrease through the Network. Glancing at his watch, he realised that two hours had passed since Barry fell asleep. He was likely awake long before now but the energy decrease was definitely coming from his partner. "Ah, I need to make a call," Hartley said as he hauled out his cell phone. It was just before 3:00 in the afternoon. 

"Johnston, hey, I need a favour. Can you send the guys out for pizza? Down by the river, yeah. Thanks. See you Monday." 

Gagne laughed lightly. "Only certain folk around the precinct would know how to decipher that cryptic message." 

"We definitely got some good people there," Hartley agreed as they exited the office, after Gagne locked the valuable cases in his safe. 

"Let's go see how much yard work your pyro friend has done so far. I might be able to distract my wife long enough for you both to escape." 

Hartley giggled, fully appreciating the lengths his friend would go to support Hart and his strange companions. They exited the quiet confines of the house, and entered a chaotic realm of ... of ... whatever it was, Hartley felt the strong desire to escape before ... too late, as he was attacked by two very wet and very muddy fuzzy puppies. 

\----------------------------------------------

Stretching, Barry yawned as he slowly regained consciousness. For the life of him, he couldn't recall why he was in bed sleeping during the afternoon. Oh, he certainly has been in bed quite often in the afternoon, but, unless he was recovering from injuries, he's rarely ever asleep, as he's usually engaged in other activities. 

Thinking back to that morning, Barry recalled the conversation with Kyle and learning more about his newest ability to sense things nearby that were just out of his vision. Afterward, he was engaged in both conversation and activity with Hartley. Then he fell asleep. 

Sitting up to untangle the blanket from his legs, he figured it was likely due to exercising a new aspect of his powers that drained him. Blanket tossed aside, Barry rummaged through the drawer of the nightstand and found both an energy bar and cookie. Stuffing both in his mouth, feeling himself becoming more alert, he headed to the en-suite, very much looking forward to a hot shower. 

Twenty minutes later, after pulling on a random pair of boxers, Barry exited the bedroom in hopes of finding something more substantial to eat. He had just passed by Len's bedroom when he felt the other's presence right behind him, the cool aura freezing him in mid-step. 

"Mmm, a little underdressed, are we? Or is it overdressed?" 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked as Leonard pressed up against his back and sniffed behind his ear. 

"Ah, that's the new Shea Butter and Oatmeal bodywash, if I'm not mistaken," Leonard wrapped his arms around Barry's waist. "Smells nice." 

"Ah-huh," Barry mumbled as he stepped away. Reaching the cupboards, he found himself turned around and pressed back into the counter with Leonard's hands on either side of him. 

"What's wrong?" 

Barry shrugged and tried to turn but Leonard caught his chin, bringing his gaze back to him. 

"You're still irritated with me," Leonard stated. "Do you trust me?" 

"Uh," Barry blinked. True, he is still irritated with Leonard for that week, but he's not _really_ irritated; it's just some lingering mixed up feelings that he still needs to work out. As for trust? "Of course, I trust you, always have, always will." 

"But?" Leonard stepped closer so he was pressing his hips against Barry's. 

Barry sighed. "I don't know what I'm feeling; irritated, confused, annoyed, restless ... maybe those sky pulses are affecting Meta Humans as well as Meta Beasts. I don't know." 

"Hmm," Leonard thought that over for a moment. "Possible, especially since you ended up with a pair of those _highly offensive_ green boxers." 

"Oh, uh ... " Barry sighed. "I just grabbed the first pair I found." 

"Mmmhmm," Leonard lowered his hands and ran them over the fabric, then dipped beneath the waistband to rest lightly on his ass. "You do realise you have a dresser containing your own articles of clothing and underwear?" 

"I do?" Barry hadn't known he had some sort of personal space down there seeing as he doesn't actually live there. 

Leonard chuckled as he grazed his fingers along that freshly cleaned crack. "Not surprising Hart hadn't mentioned it. It's the one closest to the en-suite with the hygiene products on top, which I'm certain have gone unused all this time." 

"Huh," Barry's mood lit up with that information. "Why, though? I don't even live here." 

"You're down here enough times to warrant heavy usage of the laundry machines each week," Leonard told him as he found, and prodded, at his hole. "Needed something to toss all your clothing in so we wouldn't keep tripping over them all the time." 

Did he really leave that much clothing down there? Come to think of it, Barry realised he hadn't been tripping over as much clothing back home as he usually does. "Huh ... " he repeated, lost in thought. 

"Now then," Leonard brought his attention back to the present after a few minutes of stretching his hole with two fingers. "I do owe you an apology and some sort of explanation." 

Barry sighed as he really didn't want to discuss this right then, or maybe he sighed due to the loss of those fingers from his ass. "Len, I know, you were busy with Rogue stuff. I understand, really, it's fine." 

Leonard kept him pressed back into the counter, preventing any kind of escape. "Barry, it's not fine. I wasn't available when you needed me and I even kept Mick away. Rogue duties or not, I should never have left you alone, especially since Hartley and Kyle were not here. I should have at least explained why I needed to be out of touch." 

Leonard paused and Barry felt a hand press lightly against his chest. He watched as a wide range of emotions flickered through those cool blue eyes. One emotion came through the strongest: regret, both coming in through the eyes and the palm on his chest. That was closely followed by possessiveness, or strength, or something that Barry couldn't quite identify. 

"You see, Barry," Leonard continued. "I couldn't afford any distractions and, if I were to be honest with myself, just the tiniest thought of you is enough to distract me. I needed a clear head to deal with my Rogues, and put their talents to use in a new direction. We also had various other things to discuss like contracts, some of the uprising happening along the West side, potential trouble coming in from Keystone, to name a few." 

That last bit of information caught his attention. "Keystone? I know all cities have their criminals and troublemakers but I hadn't heard anything substantial lately. I can check in with Wally; I'm pretty sure he has an idea of who's who in the Keystone Underground. After all, I've a pretty good idea what's happening around here in Central, and I know Bruce knows all the dirty happenings in Gotham, and Oliver is damn good at picking out the worst of the worst in Starling." 

"That is certainly useful information," Leonard hummed as he thought that over. "If your Wally can provide any insight to any kind of criminal migration going on, we can better prepare ourselves over here." 

"Will do," Barry agreed, making a mental note. "I know we're closest to the bridge here, but is there anyone keeping a close watch on the traffic? Or even along the river banks?" 

Leonard shook his head. "Not yet. My intention is to get some surveillance equipment set up around the bridge but haven't had a chance to discuss this with Hart yet." 

"Hmm," Barry pondered a few other possibilities. "ARGUS base is right there as well, I can warn them of potential trouble. Plus, the STAR Labs satellite can help. Cisco can also get a couple of his own Cams set up. Once Hart has his equipment ready to go, I can certainly help set them up, especially along the river. No guarantee those jerks will stick to the bridge. Should I alert the CCPD?" 

"No, not yet," Leonard told him. "We don't have any substantial information at this time. It's more rumours and bad feelings going around." 

"Right," Barry nodded. "I can get Kenny and Jacks to keep their ears open whenever they're out and about. They're good at keeping discreet and making it appear as if they're as both deaf and dumb as a brick." 

"Speaking of ears and discretion," Leonard leaned in and spoke low into his ear, clearly intending to change the topic. "Kyle mentioned this new sense of yours. I want to see it in action." 

Barry snorted as he felt that warm tongue run along his ear. "Purely for educational purposes, no doubt?" 

"Precisely," Leonard hummed, sending a vibration through the ear. "Understanding your abilities, every aspect of your powers, is beneficial in keeping the rest of us safe, and helps us to utilise your abilities in the greatest way possible. To keep Central City safe, of course." 

"Of course," Barry repeated, sighed, then giggled as Len's fingers lightly grazed the underside of his hardening cock. "What do you want to know?" 

"I understand your new sense is connected to Hart. Can you activate it when he's not here?" Leonard turned them around so Len was now leaning back against the counter, hands on Barry's waist. 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over for a moment. "When I'm thinking about him, I can, whether he's here or not, but ... " he shrugged. "I haven't had it activate yet on instinct. Maybe with some practice it will become more natural. It's still quite new." 

Leonard nodded. "Makes sense. How about we get in some of that practice, hmm?" 

"What do you have in mind?" Barry inquired as Leonard reached into his back pocket. 

"First, I will ask you again: Do you trust me?" 

The serious tone put Barry on high alert, bringing his eyes back to Len's, where he saw trickles of purple sparking deep within. He knew right away that whatever Leonard has planned would really put his abilities to the test. Closing his eyes, Barry took a few deep breaths as he felt Leonard's presence, then matched his breathing to that of his partner. 

Barry nodded as he opened his eyes. "Yeah, I trust you. This is important, getting used to this new ability, figuring out how to get it working properly, making sure it won't hurt any of you guys, even accidently. Aside from Hart, you know and understand my body and current abilities best, and will take all precautionary measures to ensure both of our safety." 

"Good," Leonard gave a brief smile, pulled him close for a quick kiss, then turned serious again. "Even though this appears to be purely a sensory ability, rather than offensive, it could turn harmful to us or to you, if your powers suddenly go haywire or some outside source interferes with your frequency." 

Barry swallowed as Leonard held up a piece of black fabric. Inhaling, he realised it was closer to leather than cotton, but still soft enough to be wrapped around, and tied ... he began to sweat. 

"Easy, this will help enhance your other senses, much like this morning," Leonard spoke soothingly. 

Reaching out, Barry plucked the blindfold out of Leonard's hands and inspected the material. Soft, durable, stretchy, definitely has a hint of leather smell. He sighed then nodded, handing the item back over. "Okay, then." 

Leonard turned him around so his back was now against Len's chest. "I will be here the entire time, Barry. Remember, you're at my place where it's perfectly safe. Only those you trust the most have access to my place. You are in no danger." Len spoke steadily and soothingly, which did wonders to calm Barry down, especially when he closed his eyes and felt the fabric press against them, feeling the tugs as the blindfold was tied behind his head. 

"In and out, steady breathing," Leonard let out a puff of air into his ear, and Barry matched his breathing to Len's again. "Are your powers good?" 

Barry nodded. "Yeah, fully functional." He heard Leonard's hum of approval followed by silence. 

He didn't know how much time has passed since Leonard stopped speaking, but Barry certainly heard his breathing, felt Len's presence, along with the smooth chest against his back. He no longer felt Len's hands on his waist but ... 

"Your hands are resting flat on the counter," Barry spoke softly. Leonard didn't respond but Barry felt the confirmation through their Network. 

Settling himself further, taking another deep breath, Barry focused on the room itself. He knew where everything was, but that was with his eyes and his memory; sensing, _feeling_ the room was a completely different kind of visual, even if it's coming in fuzzy. He shifted his focus to one particular object rather than the room as a whole, and picked up the table in front of the sofa, and the items on that table. 

"Two back-up cold guns on the table, one fully assembled, the other still needs its energy source." Barry tilted his head in thought. "I likely saw those when I came out of the bedroom and didn't think anything of it. I do see a lot, even if items don't register right away." 

Leonard shifted slightly, erection poking him along the crack, dutifully interrupting Barry's concentration. "Ahh ... " he fumbled, trying to regain the sense again, as he thought he felt a flutter of air. 

Another poke and Barry lost that regained sense. "Sec," he told Leonard, as he settled his breathing again. 

A few moments later, Barry exhaled and nodded, focusing back on the room again. More details came into focus of the furniture in the common room, the kitchen table and fridge, the island and stools, the ... 

... foamy projectiles that he plucked out of the air from in front of him. Feeling them in his fingers, Barry counted six and whistled. "Seriously, dude, where the heck are you keeping your best weapons? Lego, Replicas, and now you have a freakin' Nerf Sniper that's nearly as long as Floyd's?!" 

Focusing beyond his fingers, Barry _saw_ Kyle materialise into focus, both custom pieces settled at his waist, holding a Nerf Rifle that was very much customised to resemble Floyd's sniper. One particular detail caught his attention, however. 

"Your guns are reversed," he informed the Hunter. Even though he couldn't see it, Barry felt Len's astonishment, could even imagine the raised eyebrow and the silent communication between Len and Kyle. He did certainly feel the Hunter's impressed beam. Kyle rarely shows any kind of emotion but Barry could now feel every single one, and has discovered that a beaming Kyle is his favourite Kyle. Any doubts he had that morning of being unable to live up to the Hunter's expectations, were now washed away completely. 

"Damn," Barry awed. "It's not just a physical sense I'm picking up ... " 

He was interrupted as he felt ... felt ... wispy strands trickle along his chest ... and his arms, and along his thighs. His breath caught as small tendrils snaked their way up inside the fabric and lightly tugged at the crotch area, pulling the boxers down a bit. He wiggled but that only caused the boxers to drop completely and inadvertantly slotted himself more neatly against Len's fully hard erection, which was not covered by fabric, he quickly realised. 

All sense of the room dissipated as Barry's attention was fully on the Hunter's exploration of his body. Hesitant as he was about the blindfold, Barry had to admit he could now fully appreciate the item. He was in a safe and controlled environment, with those he trusts most, powers fully intact. He is safe, he is in control, he is ... is ... 

... now swallowing a mixture of solid fingers and wispy tendrils down his throat. He felt his eyes bulge as the tendrils continued downward while the fingers kept his tongue pressed down. He started to panic, restricting his own airflow. 

"Breathe," came the soothing voice of the Hunter. 

Fingers curled around his own and Barry held on tightly as he tried to refocus. Closing his eyes again, even though he still couldn't see anything with his eyes open, he forced his body to relax. Ignoring the tendrils in his throat, he focused his attention on the fingers themselves and pressed his tongue against them, receiving a stroke in response. He inhaled, he swallowed, he realised his breathing was in no way restricted. 

Inhaling again, Barry nodded and felt those tendrils moving again, sliding further down his throat. He relaxed further, entire focus on those particular tendrils, feeling their every movement. Soon, he felt those tendrils extend _outward_ , outside of his pipes, to press lightly against the backside of his skin, trailing along and ... 

Barry gasped, his body shuddering in an explosive orgasm, as those tendrils penetrated his nipples ... from _behind_! 

Minutes passed before he got himself under control again, the blindfold now gone, Leonard holding him tightly around the waist. 

"Gaaaaaah ... " Barry panted as his blurred vision slowly came back into focus. "The hell you do?!" 

"Research," Kyle informed him, grinning, and rubbing actual fingers against a nipple. "I now know of at least four more pleasure spots that not even Hart knows about." 

"Fuck your bloody research," Barry growled as his cock twitched again, slumping back tighter against Len's chest. "Damn, that was ... was ... Damn!" 

He heard Leonard chuckle in his ear and felt warm moisture on his nipple. After a few moments of being hopelessly lost in the wonderful sensations on his nipples, Barry blinked his eyes open, peering down into Kyle's smokey eyes. 

"Kyle?" 

"Hmm?" 

Watching the Hunter straighten up, fingers still on his very damp nipples, Barry didn't have a clue how to say what's on his mind. "You don't normally ... uh ... do stuff like this." 

"True," Kyle agreed but offered no further explanation, instead, misting up his fingers to press inward, through the nipple, to stroke it from behind. 

Barry shuddered at the intense sensation, as it was extremely intense. He never knew nipples could be played with from _behind_ before. "Okay, okay, enough, I surrender," Barry whined as his cock spurted again. 

Kyle pulled his fingers back out and rested a palm lightly against his chest; Barry's body drank in greedily the warm energies being fed into him. He sighed pleasurably. "Daaaaaamn ... " 

"Shall I continue?" 

Still panting, Barry shook his head. "Later, need rest, daaaamn!" 

"Here," Leonard spoke up finally and Barry felt the energy bar press against his lips. He claimed the bar with his teeth, swallowing quickly, followed by half a water bottle. "Let's get you to the sofa." 

"Mmm," Barry was feeling mighty blissed out as he was led to, and laid upon the sofa. "Damn!" he repeated softly as he drifted off to sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Draping a blanket over their speedster, Leonard couldn't help but smile down at the adorable geek. He was really impressed with Barry's newest ability to sense things around him, especially when he accurately revealed that Kyle swapped the positions of his custom pieces; Len hadn't even noticed that particular switch, and his eyes were fully functional. 

"He did well," Kyle commented, settling down into one of the big soft chairs. 

"Indeed," Leonard agreed, sitting down as well. "That was an impressive display. He already has the instinct, when you fired off the Nerf bullets." 

"Yes," Kyle agreed. "Always had the instinct but his capture of the projectiles was far more precise and smoother than previous." 

"Why the Nerf?" That was a question that was on his mind for awhile, and, like Barry, Leonard also wondered why in the world a deadly Hunter would even have such a thing. 

"Live bullets too dangerous for indoor experiments," Kyle told him. 

"Ah," Leonard nodded, still not completely satisfied, but at least he understood the Hunter's reasoning for choosing the toy over a dangerous weapon. As trusting as he is toward Kyle, anything could have happened that would likely alter the trajectory of a bullet; Leonard didn't much care to be plastered with bullets, despite his vast, _intimate_ , experience with them over the years. 

Before any further conversation could be had, thudding was heard at the door, and Kyle promptly stood up to answer it. Leonard didn't have long to wait before their visitors appeared and dropped ten boxes of pizza on the table. 

"Sheesh, we get a summons for a pizza run and intended target is sound asleep. I've a good mind to just take these blasted boxes back home." Kenneth grumbled as he sat down, grabbing one of the boxes for himself. 

"Oh, it's not that bad," Jackson told his partner while swiping a slice. "Just wave one of these under his nose and he'll be awake in no time." 

Leonard watched, amused, as Jackson did exactly as he stated. Within moments, half the slice was devoured and Jackson yelped. "Ouch, bloody bastard bit my fingers!" 

A very sleepy Barry slowly sat up, devouring the rest of the slice. "Mmm, tasty!" 

"I can assure you that my fingers are NOT tasty! Release me now, vermin!" Jackson tugged helplessly. 

Kenneth snorted and started in on his second slice. 

Kyle whistled cheerfully as he set out a large pile of napkins and drinks for everyone. 

Leonard sighed, leaned back, and thought about how easily Kenneth and Jackson slotted themselves in their lives, with Barry as the central focus. As uneasy as he was at letting more people into his life, Leonard was grateful that Kenneth and Jackson helped keep an eye on Barry when Hart and Kyle were in Gotham. 

"The hell, dude?" Jackson pretended utter shock as he pulled the blanket away. 

"Dude, cold!" Barry yelped, reaching for the blanket that was kept away from him. 

Reaching for a slice, Leonard felt perfectly at ease around the two officers. Very grateful, indeed. 

\----------------------------------------------

After the guys had left, taking the empty boxes with them, and one with three slices left inside, Barry leaned back against the cushions, finishing off his final slice. It was certainly good of Kenny and Jacks to stop by when they did, especially when he was in dire need of food. He began to wonder how they knew to come down but quickly realised that Hartley likely sent them. 

Stretching, he watched as Kyle straightened up the table and the common area, disposing napkins and various crumbs and pepperoni that accidently landed on the floor. On one particular bend, Barry caught the tiniest hint of exposed skin as the usually clingy shirt lifted slightly upward above the waistband. It was only a fraction of a second before Kyle straightened again and deposited the last of the rubbage into the waste bin. 

That tiny bit of exposed skin bothered him, as it was quite dark. "Kyle?" 

"Hmm?" Kyle finished drying his hands as he turned back toward him. 

"You always wear tight shirts that cling to your body in a way that they just don't move when you do." Barry knew he was crossing a personal boundary with such a comment as it is likely to lead into a topic that his friend may not wish to discuss. 

"Yes," Kyle confirmed. 

"Why?" 

Kyle sat down and replied with a question of his own. "Why do you?" 

"Huh?" Barry blinked in confusion and looked down at his own shirt, well, someone's shirt he hurriedly tossed on when he got back from dealing with an annoying Meta Human. The shirt was wrinkled and not tucked inside his pants; in fact, it was half-raised on the left side where it bunched up between two of the back cushions. 

Kyle revealed a patient smile as Barry wiggled and the shirt fell back down into place ... sort of. "You wear a suit that clings to your body. Why?" 

Understanding, Barry already had an answer to that question. "Easy, it's to help improve wind resistance and protects my body from the elements." 

"And?" 

"And ... what? That's pretty much the basic need for my suit." Barry thought some more before coming up with another answer. "Hides my identity from the general public. The more people that know who I am, the greater danger they will be in." He shook his head in confusion. "But you don't wear such a suit, just shirts, sweaters, various pants and the likes. People see you and they know who and what you are. You don't need to hide." 

"As you need to hide secrets embedded upon and within your body, so do I. Everyone has something they wish not to reveal to others, I am no different." 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over. "True. I may appear ordinary to most people, but if I were to be captured and dissected, that information could be deadly to this world. I wear the suit to keep my Meta self separate from my true self." 

Barry felt like he was missing something, not quite getting it. He decided to change tactic and be more direct with his concerns. If Kyle didn't want to discuss something in particular, the worst that the Hunter would do was politely decline, right? Still, Barry felt this was quite important. He sparked for a moment, collecting his thoughts. 

"Kyle, you wear clingy clothing, both shirts and pants. Sweaters and jackets are looser as they're not meant to hug the body. However, that's all you wear, all the time. Literally, _all the time_. In the morning, afternoon, at night, in bed, out on errands, hanging around here. Do you even take them off when you shower?" 

Barry's thoughts were racing as he struggled to capture one particular strand that remained elusive. "What are you hiding, Kyle?" 

Kyle hadn't said anything, hadn't moved, hadn't blinked. There was so much more that Barry wanted to say but he couldn't quite figure out how to say what's all on his mind. He had been far too curious about the Hunter for a long time that he couldn't contain his itch any longer, to unlock all the mysteries of Kyle Nimbus. 

It was several long minutes before the Hunter spoke. "You inquired earlier why I don't engage much in sexual activities." Barry nodded as he watched Kyle remove his shirt. "This is why." 

Before he knew it, Barry was standing in front of Kyle, trailing his fingers over a nasty amount of scars that wrapped around to the sides with many more on the back. He has seen some scars on the lower arms before but they were minor compared to these. 

"Kyle ... " he really didn't know what to say. 

"All part of being a Hunter," Kyle spoke quietly. 

Barry didn't buy that explanation at all. "They're just scars, Kyle. Battle scars. Nothing to be ashamed of at all. That doesn't mean you need to hold yourself back from engaging in any kind of hobby or activity. If the scars bother you that much, once Hart gets back, we can take care of them for you, much like we did with his scars." 

"No," Kyle shook his head. "Scars will remain. What you currently see is only a small portion of the damage." 

That comment prompted Barry to lay a palm flat on the Hunter's chest and peered inward. No real heavy damage but he certainly saw a few areas that could use a bit of a repair job. One particular area caught his attention though, as it was worse off than the same area inside Hartley's body, back before Hart could feel things again. 

He needed more information. 

Focusing his breathing, Barry closely inspected the scars along Kyle's torso and sides. Slowly, scattered images appeared in his mind, from bullet wounds to dagger slices, barbed whips, debris from explosives, a doorknob when Floyd dashed into the room just as Kyle was about to exit. His giggle at that last image broke his concentration and he found himself rubbing that spot lightly, where the knob sunk into the flesh. Even though Kyle told him not to, Barry sent soothing energy into that one particular spot, easing the constant pain, reducing the press upon a muscle. How Kyle managed to not wince with the pain, he doubt he will ever know. Likely that stubborn Hunter pride. Hartley was much the same way. 

Barry grinned as the skin fluttered and turned more a natural colour. "I'm sure you don't need a physical reminder of Floyd's stupidity." 

"How?" Kyle inquired as Barry peered up into the pure wonder deep within those smokey eyes. 

"Not sure," Barry shrugged. "I gained a sense that Floyd had something to do with that particular indent, and knowing Floyd, it was likely due to something rather dumb. I'm sure you have more than enough memories of Floyd that you don't need to be in constant pain over him." 

Refocusing, Barry inspected a curious splatter of scars surrounding the heart. They were not like other scars that were caused by various weapons, majority of which were long gashes. No, this particular area was more of a star design, or snowflake, or something similar. On a hunch, he stepped around to Kyle's back and saw the matching design. He also caught sight of a few more identical clusters, but they were far smaller than the one that went through the Hunter's chest. 

Closing his eyes, palm back on the chest, Barry gave the area his full attention. What he saw panicked him, his body breaking out into a cold sweat, as dark energy projectiles were hurled toward him ... Kyle. 

"Barry!" Kyle pulled the palm off his chest and Barry felt himself shivering in his friend's embrace. 

"That ... that ... that ... " He swallowed, unable to get out the words as it was too impossible to believe. 

"Yes, that happened," Kyle told him. "That particular one occurred during the second week of being under my care." 

Barry shuddered, the visuals still perfectly clear in his mind. They were terrifying. "He ... you ... how?!" He had never seen his precious partner in such a state before, and he has seen him in many rough times over the years, but none quite like this. 

Kyle settled them both on the sofa, still holding him. It was a few minutes before his trembling subsided and Kyle began speaking. 

"Barry, when I found Hart, he was in bad shape. There was no possible way he could have survived his imprisonment, but he did. He was dehydrated, malnourished, bleeding from dozens of fresh wounds, way too many scars all over his body. He was hanging on the cusp of death when I got there, spasming on the floor. They damaged him quite severely, and it wasn't just his body they nearly destroyed." 

Barry felt nauseated but knew he needed to hear this. This was something that nobody has ever known before, as Hart never talks about his ordeal, and Kyle had never opened up before about how he found Hart, aside from the fact that Kyle killed everyone that was there. 

"When I brought him home, a secluded place for just the two of us, he was very much like a panicked wild animal. He barely recognised me, he didn't trust me; he had so much hatred inside. He could barely eat, as nothing would settle in his stomach. He could barely hold anything, as his muscles were weak. That first week, he fought back constantly. Yes, I do have scars from all those encounters. It wasn't until the second week when dark energies formed around him, and he lashed out with those dark energies. I should also mention that they drugged him constantly, his body was going through all the withdrawal symptoms. That increased his anger, his darkness, and fueled his attacks on me. The only reason why I am still alive is because something inside him recognised me, he did not go full force. Not even the combination of my own Meta powers and Hunter skills were enough to protect me." 

Barry shuddered. "If he could kill you before his true powers came about ... " 

"Yes, Hartley is the most deadly being on this planet, which you already know," Kyle confirmed. "Fueled by emotions, he could either destroy or save this planet, depending on his mindset." 

"How long before the drugs wore off? What did they inject him with?" 

Kyle sighed. "Nasty stuff that don't even exist on the streets. Highly specialised stuff that costs more than what the First National Bank currently holds in its vault. Only way to get them is by knowing people, specifically those at the very top of the drug chain. Hart wasn't injected with just one, but multiple different kinds. His captors likely wanted to see how badly the different drugs interacted with one another. It was early into the third month before I had him calmed down enough to transfer over to the Rogue Base. Majority of the drugs had gone by then, but some still lingered, as their purpose was intended for long-term." 

Barry caught the hint that the Hunter wasn't telling him something important, based on his breathing and slight alteration in tone. He straightened up and peered into his friend's eyes. "Kyle? What is it?" 

"During that first month, I had to restrain him much of the time. Not for my protection, but for his own," Kyle revealed, voice strained as he spoke quietly. "Barry, he didn't want to exist, wanted to be gone, erased. He was desperately hoping I would grant him his single wish, by lashing out at me, in attempts to rile me up and lash back at him. That soon changed into bitter rage, pure hatred, as he wanted nothing more to kill the one that would deny him the only thing he wanted. As the drugs wore off, he slowly shifted into being more subdued, as the drugs that lingered were putting him more into a passive state. Sadly, during a lack of judgment on my part, he nearly succeeded with his demise halfway through the second month, resulting in a two-week coma. The doctor at the time recommended placing Hartley in familiar surroundings, as it would benefit his mentality. That was when I brought him home to the Base, once he was out of the coma. During the third month, he did improve but spoke very little; we never talked about what happened, what nearly happened. The only times he went outside were for treatment, and twice down here to see Leonard and Mick. That grocery day was the first day Hartley didn't appear like he just woke from death." 

Reflecting back on that grocery day, Barry recalled seeing Hartley looking very pale, and very much in a sour mood. He also remembered the panic attack that tried to form, and the one that did form later that evening. He also very much remembered the state his precious partner was in after that attack, and each of the others that occurred since. 

"You did what you had to do," Barry assured his Hunter partner. "It's not easy having to do things you don't like, especially when it involves those you care about, and there really is no right answer, but you did what you needed to do to protect Hartley, especially from himself." 

Kyle only nodded, not saying a word, and Barry understood. Restraining Hartley was dangerous, mentally speaking, for both parties, and is not a situation that Barry ever wished to find himself in, where that decision was required. Even when together, engaged in sexual activities, Barry always made a conscious effort to not restrain his partner, at least, not in a way that Hart couldn't easily escape from. Barry always kept a close watch over Hartley. 

Gazing back on that unique splatter of scars, Barry lightly trailed his fingers along them, now knowing the history behind that particular cluster. Finding the other similar ones, he received flickers of images of each impact, again wondering how Kyle could have possibly survived. 

"You don't show these as they're a constant reminder," Barry realised. "Most of your scars are fine, but these ... these ones are far more personal." After a couple minutes of silence, Barry's attention turned toward the long strand that wound around to the back, ending at a deep gash. "What about this one?" 

Focusing, he realised that he was only seeing a portion of the scar as the rest remained hidden below the waist. He caught various images of a warehouse, an older guy, a slightly younger looking Len ... Barry gasped as he pulled away, checking his own chest for burns. 

Kyle grasped his hand and sent over some soothing energies. "That particular scar, and many smaller ones, were inflicted by Lewis Snart." 

With his free hand, Barry glimpsed into that large scar again, caught Lewis' sense, and found other, smaller scars that had the same feel. "Why? You worked for him, didn't you?" 

Kyle shook his head. "No, I was never contracted to Lewis. I was only around because of my acquaintance with Leonard and Mick. I did help out on occasion and Lewis never stopped trying to recruit me full time. He eventually attempted blackmail as he somehow got the idea that my familiarity with his son was more than just on an ordinary business level. I allowed Lewis to beat on me only to protect Leonard." 

"Damn," Barry hissed. "This scar, that was the worst." 

"Yes," Kyle confirmed. "This one came about back when you and Hartley were at College, before you two crossed paths. Mick had gone missing shortly after they got back from their Paris assignment. Leonard had reached out to me, see if I could find him. My brother was in town, visiting, and I brought him along with me to their Base. We had not expected to see what we saw that day. Lewis was beyond drunk and beating on Leonard while two others held him down. Apparently, Lewis had caught sight of Leonard and Mick engaged in a sexual moment, had sent Mick away, and thought to remind Leonard who was boss. Yes, this included torturing and abusing his own son, to the point where it was almost impossible to repair the damage to his rectum. A lung had also collapsed during the ordeal, all organs badly bruised, half the ribs cracked. Victor killed the two henchmen." 

"This scar," Kyle continued after a moment's pause, "is caused by the chain that Lewis pulled out of the firepit, the chain he was about to use on his son. That chain would have killed Leonard with the first blow. Not me, though. I was trained in such things, I knew pain, I could handle it. I nearly didn't ... ." Kyle took a breath before continuing. "I don't know where Lewis got that chain from but it was of the most dangerous sort; it wrapped around me tightly, you see the scars around to the back. What you don't see is the tail end of the chain that wrapped around my genitals. The purpose of that particular burning chain, was to restrain the body during castration." 

Barry paled, his hand pausing just above Kyle's waistband. "That ... that's .... " 

"Indeed. To do such a thing to one's own son, I did the only thing that mattered right that second. I jammed my gun in the bastard's mouth and blew his brains out just as the second testicle burned off." 

"Damn," Barry hissed again. "Hart mentioned that Leonard and Mick didn't contact him when they got back from Paris as they had promised. Does he know what happened?" 

"Nothing specific," it was Leonard that responded as he had been silently standing behind them for who knows how long. "Hart knows that Lewis had been killed but not the when or the how. He shrugged it off as no real loss, knowing how much of a dick my father was, figuring he just made a bad deal with the wrong guy. We never told him otherwise. For that matter, when Victor found Mick and brought him back home to me, we never told Mick either, let him draw his own conclusion. Mick at least figured it was likely because Lewis saw us during a moment in Paris, even though it wasn't until we got back home that Lewis revealed his knowledge to us. He sent Mick away, and punished me for a week before I managed to contact Kyle. To be honest, it is quite likely that Mick believes I was the one to kill Lewis. Whatever his conclusion, Mick remained at my side, no longer going off on foolhardy missions. He goes wherever he wants, whenever he wants, does whatever he feels like at any given time. He might listen to me, when he feels inclined to do so, but Mick will always prefer not to wander off too far away from me. We were both freed from Lewis that day and had companions that were also relieved he was gone." 

"Damn," Barry repeated. "I wonder who the Father of the Year Award went to ... Lewis Snart or Osgood Rathaway?" He fully remembered the abuse Hartley went through growing up at home; he had no idea if Hart's mum, Rachel, ever truly knew what went on. For that matter, he wondered if they were even still alive, seeing as Hart had not been in contact with them since right before College. 

"Barry?" Kyle interrupted his thoughts. 

"Ah, sorry, mind wandered. Damn, this is some really messed up shit." Barry fumed at what had happened but felt immensely grateful that they trusted him enough to reveal such personal information. 

After some more silence had passed, he felt the warm wispy tendrils skittering up beneath his shirt. Leaning over, he embraced his Hunter friend. "Thank you," was all he could think to say as the warmth from those tendrils filled him with comfort. 

"I trust you," Kyle revealed. "I know the purity of your heart and your thirst for knowledge. Anytime you feel the need to know something, even out of pure curiosity, all you need to do is ask." 

"Mmm, I'll remember that," Barry sighed contently as he felt the wisps trickle down the back of his pants. He nearly lost himself to the unique feelings when his initial inquiry came to mind again. Pulling back away from Kyle, he started to stand up when Leonard pushed him back down again. 

"Kyle, it's fine, I understand," he began to say but Kyle placed two fingers on his lips to prevent any further protest. 

Kyle shook his head. "No, Barry, you do not quite understand. Even though I have no sexual arousal within me, does not mean I have zero interest. I remember very much how everything feels. Even though I can never feel such things again, does not mean I lost the ability to know what others like. I have not engaged much in such activity these past few months because my highest priority and duty was, and always will be, to Hartley. I will mention that during the two weeks before meeting you at the grocery store, we did engage in some sexual activity, but always at his initiation, as he wanted to understand better his loss. We did become much closer as I held him, mostly for his comfort, but also my own, as I couldn't bare to see him so miserable. We supported each other, engaging in whatever ways that helped to remind us that we can still be comforted. Helps especially during and after panic attacks." 

Barry had to grin at that, remembering just how close Kyle and Hartley were that day, behind the grocery store, and also the kiss that chased off the final remnants of that panic attack. His mind wandered again and he felt the need to ask. "Have you and Len ... " Barry gasped and lurched forward as wispy strands found, and penetrated his hole. 

Kyle beamed before nodding. "Yes, many times, even with Mick. Always when Lewis was not around as we had always known what would happen if the bastard ever found out. It was still a strained time, as his men often wandered where they shouldn't, always telling Lewis many things. We had been nearly caught on too many occasions." 

"Damn, that's information that Hart doesn't even know. We've been wondering for ages if you ever hooked up with Mick." 

Leonard snorted from behind him, and Barry felt his shirt tear away from his body. "Do you guys do nothing but think about sex all the time?" 

"Uh," Barry blushed, knowing that was a pretty accurate accusation, at least, on Barry's side of things. Well, considering all the gear that Hartley creates, it's likely often on his partner's mind as well, especially when it involves Barry. Or maybe Hartley just liked thinking about Barry, period. 

"You plan to tell him?" Kyle asked as he found and prodded at the highly sensitive prostate. 

"Gaaahngh," Barry shuddered as he unleashed into his pants. His cock bounced upward as Leonard pulled the pants down, spraying the last few drops, some landing on Kyle's leg. It was a moment before he recalled the question. "Ah, thinking I might save it as a bargaining chip," Barry grinned. "Maybe use it as payment, a trade, somethinnnnngh ... damnit, stop that already!" 

Kyle hummed as he pulled his wispy tendrils away from Barry's sensitive nipples. Barry had the feeling Kyle enjoyed abusing his nipples from behind, maybe a little too damn much. Likely because he is the one person that can do something to Barry's body that nobody else could ever do. At least, Barry hasn't had the opportunity to meet other Metas that could turn themselves into mist, clouds, smoke, whatever, that could penetrate his body the way Kyle could; nor would he want to. 

Barry could never trust anyone as much as he did his Hunter, his mob boss criminal, his pyro, and his precious partner. Especially when his misty partner wrapped multiple tendrils around his limbs, holding him securely while that blasted criminal pummeled his ass. Despite all his cursing and growling, Barry couldn't be happier. 

\----------------------------------------------

Inspecting the Lab Monday morning, feeling a familiar gust of wind circle around him before disappearing again, Kyle took a sip from his newly received cappuccino, while settling the other cup down on Hartley's desk. He intended to turn the computers on and the various processing machines but Barry beat him to it. 

Hauling out his new bug detector, Kyle roamed the Lab slowly. He easily picked up all the CCPD's bugs and cameras, along with those that belonged to Hart. As expected, the new Hunter Cam, hidden within the Beebo on Hart's desk, was undetectable. Tapping the Beebo, he smiled as the eyes turned upward to greet him. Continuing, he scanned the rest of the Lab and the attached washroom, finding nothing out of the ordinary. 

"Everything okay?" 

Pocketing the detector, Kyle exited the washroom to find Hartley inspecting his own drink. "Yes, everything is as they should be." 

"Good," Hartley mumbled as he checked the security feeds that were set up to his computer. "Nothing seems out of the ordinary over the weekend," he spoke after a few minutes. 

"But?" Kyle inquired, catching the troubled tone in his younger friend. 

"Not sure," Hartley shrugged. "You sure you didn't pick up anything?" 

"Positive, but I can certainly check again," Kyle was starting to feel uneasy. 

Hartley shook his head. "No need, I trust you. I'm going to check in with Calvin, I'll be back up in a few minutes." 

"Okay," Kyle said as he watched his troubled young friend abandon his drink to head downstairs. Picking up the cup, Kyle sniffed it. Pulling off the lid, he saw it was Hart's favourite drink with the bonus extras; nothing amiss at all, aside from Hart's uneasiness. 

Hauling out the bug detector again, Kyle roamed the Lab once more. As before, nothing was picked up and he pocketed the device. Focusing more with his eyes and his newest sense, he inspected every inch of the Lab. The only bug he found was a ladybug that he left alone to continue its nap. 

Wondering where he could have possibly missed, Kyle's eyes soon flickered as he noticed the evidence boxes on the tables. Three were lined up ready to be processed, and one box was on the table meant for Completed Evidence boxes, with a folder laying neatly upon it. Approaching the box, he picked up the folder and opened it, scanning quickly over the notes, and paying particular attention to the processing labels. 

The first thing that caught his attention was that it was unclear as to whether it was Barry or Hartley that processed this box. The second thing was the date and time, as the box was processed at 9:15 that morning. The final thing that caught his attention was the processing label itself as some of the coding was reversed. Rummaging through the box, Kyle saw that half the bags were missing the label, the others had identical labels to the folder, and there was a still-active bug which he carefully shut down. 

Grabbing both box and folder, Kyle headed down to the Captain's office. 

"Enter," came the casual tone in response to his knock. 

Shutting the door behind him, Kyle placed the box and folder on the desk, being mindful to not wake the sleeping feline. 

"Ah, good, thank you," Captain Singh commented as he reached for the folder. After a few minutes of silence, finishing his scan of the folder, the Captain glanced up again. "Anything else?" 

Kyle decided the direct approach was best. "That box was not processed properly and in no way was it done by either Barry or Hartley." 

"Oh?" Captain Singh picked up the folder again and scanned the processing label. "Was done this morning by their Lab ... I see." The Captain sighed and tossed the folder back on top of the box. "You know about their processing label?" 

"Yes, sir, I do," Kyle confirmed. "Security measure to protect them in the event of forgery, tampering, misfiling, anything that could deem the evidence as invalid during court, and possibly land them in serious legal trouble." 

"Exactly," the Captain nodded. "They created their own label, proof that they and they alone processed the evidence they worked on. It's to avoid confusion as to who did what, keeps better track of which evidence belongs to which box and folder, and, as you say, protect their asses in the courtroom. The label on this folder is a clear forgery. Do you understand how it's not valid?" 

"Yes, sir, I do," Kyle repeated. "The contents of the box were a mess, only half are labeled, and not affixed in their proper locations. There was also a bug in the box that had not been deactivated. Sloppy work. The date looks legit but the timestamp is inaccurate. Neither Barry nor Hartley were anywhere near the precinct at 9:15; I can accurately confirm their whereabouts as both an eyewitness and by providing the necessary video surveillance as evidence. As for the label itself, it is not clear as to which of them processed the box. There is also the matter that two of the different codes are reversed. Whoever did this, created the label from scratch rather than photocopying. In doing so, they reversed Nox and Furling in the order. Lastly, the numbering labels are missing, and those are important to match each bag with their proper box and folder." 

Captain Singh stood up and headed over to his safe, which he quickly opened and hauled out a folder. "This folder contains all the personal coding that my staff uses as their labels. Do you know what their label says?" 

Kyle recalled seeing the proper label in question, having seen it affixed numerous times. He recited the label word for word: 

Proof of Processing  
by  
Barry Allen and Hartley Rathaway  
on this Date: Month Day Year at this time: 24hr format  
The best processors on the planet!

"Even though there is no line for signature, it is always clear which one has done the processing by the slight changes in their names." 

"And how is that?" the Captain inquired. 

"If Barry did the processing, the As in his name would be of the Earth chevron symbol; same if Hart has done the processing. When both work on the same box, all the As would be a chevron." 

"And the order?" 

Kyle knew he was being tested and he was fine with that. "Ancients, Nox, Asgard, Furling. As for the missing numbering labels, those are in Atlantean." 

Captain Singh beamed as he handed the Employee Coding folder over to the Hunter. "You are correct, and I missed it on first glance, but Nox and Furling were indeed reversed, as are the missing chevron symbols." 

Looking through the folder, Kyle was impressed by all the unique codes that other employees have come up with, like their own personal signature. He especially adored the language the twins created that Gagne uses for his labels, and he also recognised the language of the Unown that Kenneth and Jackson are known to use. 

Captain Singh continued, "This coding system didn't come around to my precinct until their second month of being here, five years ago. Despite the fact that Hartley was actually employed by STAR Labs at the time, he did assist Allen quite frequently, and always in secret, as they knew the consequences of letting non-employees take a look at evidence." 

"You knew," Kyle stated as he closed the folder. 

"I did and I never let on that I knew," the Captain confirmed. "An incident happened in that second month to a different CSI pair, as a third one came over from Coast City for the week. Confusion, altercations, and tampering occurred due to miscommunication and my CSIs not getting along well with the Coast CSI. The box was tossed in court, my CSIs were charged with tampering and hindering the case, the Coast CSI got off free as he was out of his jurisdiction. The paperwork to prove his temporary reassignment to my precinct was done by a Coast City rookie and was not done properly, not in the eyes of the court." 

"That prompted the creation of the personal processing labels," Kyle stated, understanding completely. 

"Yes. Hartley wanted theirs to be unique that nobody would be able to copy easily. Naturally, someone needed to have a decipher code book in the event proof of processing was required. Only myself and Joe West has access to my safe and know the existence of this folder. Naturally, some of the others around my precinct discovered their label and decided to create ones of their own. Naturally, I wound up with a folder full of dozens of unique codes." 

Kyle beamed at the fondness in that growly tone as he handed the folder back over. "Barry had never stopped using this label when Hart was not around." 

"To be honest, their label wasn't actually legit until I hired Hartley full-time a few weeks ago, as both are now under my official command, rather than just Allen. Thankfully, it had never been required to provide their proof of processing in the past, nor Hartley's involvement with my precinct. All anyone could prove was that Hartley worked at STAR Labs and often came over to fix faulty equipment and upgrade computers as we had a contract with the Labs for such services." 

"And now we have a problem," Kyle spoke softly as Cleo rolled over on her blanket. 

"Indeed we do," the Captain agreed, locking the safe again. Turning, he sighed. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention." 

"Only doing my duty, Captain," Kyle told him then turned toward the door, knowing full well what needed to be done. 

Exiting the office, Kyle caught sight of Calvin but didn't see Hartley around. Heading over, he was greeted by a beaming tech. 

"Hey, Kyle, how was your weekend? Has Hartley come in yet? I was wanting to talk to him about this new program ... " 

Not hearing the rest of Calvin's words, Kyle began to really worry about Hartley. Wandering off, he headed back upstairs but, sadly, Hartley was not there. Heading back down, Kyle wandered through the entire precinct, paying no mind to his shadow. 

"Weird," Calvin commented as they stepped outside. "Hart isn't known to just wander off like this. I'm not even picking him up on my tracker." 

Pressing a button on his cell phone, Kyle was rewarded with the immediate appearance of the speedster. 

"What's up? Got a Beast I gotta get to across the bridge. Hey, Cal." 

"Hey," Calvin returned the greeting. "Think my tracker's broken." 

Barry examined the tracker then closed his eyes. Kyle watched as his friend turned and stopped, facing West. Barry then tapped his earpiece. 

"How dangerous is that Beast? How close to the Bridge? Curious ... no, no, just something else came up. I don't know, have you ever thought to ask every criminal, Meta and Beast to see if they can perform on a schedule that works best for you? Fine, I'll see if I can send someone over to keep an eye on the Beast seeing as you're soooo busy. How important? I would say fairly important. I don't know the level. How important is saving the multiverse? That level, yes. Okay, fine. Later." 

Barry turned back to him. "Somewhere on the West side, can't pinpoint exactly. You got nothing?" 

Kyle shook his head. "Feel nothing. Was acting weird when we came in." 

"Naturally, he stated he was gonna talk to someone downstairs and that was when his sense checked out." 

Kyle nodded in confirmation. 

"Okay, then. Can you check with the others, see if they can keep an eye on that Beast? It's near the airfield. I'll head West." 

"Right," Kyle said as he dialed Leonard's number, Barry zipping off. Within moments, he informed Leonard of the Beast near the airfield, then turned to head back inside the precinct. 

"What now?" Calvin asked, still on his heels. 

Gazing around, Kyle got a glimpse of movement by the copier corner and headed in that direction. Unmindful of the highly inappropriate activity going on, he told the pair, "Needed out West," then headed back out of the precinct, the young, blushing tech still on his heels. 

They didn't have long to wait before Kenneth and Jackson came out in full gear, heading toward their squad car. Soon, they were headed out to the Western district of Central City, Kyle providing directions as they followed the Flash. 

Kyle was rapidly growing more uneasy. 

\----------------------------------------------

After having made detailed plans over the weekend, he entered the precinct that morning to check in with that dick of a boss, listened to the boring sermon, and passively agreed to be a better and proper employee, all that crap that bosses like to hear. 

He caught sight of the rodent coming down the stairs and had made his move. Luring the rodent, he soon had him under control, drugged, and unconscious in the back of the car. That new scrambler device that the Prime Commander gave him worked perfectly. 

Now he sat on a stool, wearing only his boots and boxers, as he gazed down upon a naked, still unconscious rodent; naked aside from the chains attached to the ankles, connected to hooks in the wall. 

Lazily rolling a jolt stick between his fingers, he pondered when to wake up the rodent. 

He grinned. He was _so_ looking forward to this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you once again for reading, and a very Happy New Year to everyone! Wow, 2018 flew by so quickly. As difficult as the year was for me, it had also provided me with the creative urge, hence my account here on AO3 was created. I did start another series before Meta Beasts took over, and I plan to get back to Tales very soon, but I want to finish up the main chapters of Meta Beasts part 1 first. I have a lot of chapters, side stories, and brand new stories in the works for 2019, so please stay tuned. Feel free to leave comments, inquiries, suggestions, whether they be for Meta Beasts or Tales series, or upcoming new stories. I am over at Twitter @GaoRyuki , my DM box is always open. Again, thank you ever so much for taking time out of your busy days to check out my stories! I wish all of you much happiness in the New Year, full of welcoming moments that help you stay strong. HUGS!
> 
>  
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Osgood and Rachel Rathaway (mentioned)  
> Hartley's parents, rich folk. Osgood owned and ran a very prominent tech company while Rachel led a high society social life. Osgood was a very strict father to the point of abusive, while very little is known about Rachel. Hartley hadn't had any contact with them since before College so their current existence is unknown at this time. Geoff John's run of Wally West era of The Flash comics is where most of my inspiration comes from.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hartley has been captured, again, and he's getting rather tired of this happening. A new Force bearer is officially revealed, and a heart-felt reunion occurs. Barry also gains a new ability ... of sorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picking up right where the previous chapter ended. Events occur that causes the final Abduction Memory. 
> 
>  
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Abduction Memory (final); As always, this is marked by a double line and the title is in Bold for easier identification. Like the previous two Memories, it is graphically detailed, full of abuse and torture. Please be cautious when reading this section.  
> Drug usage, abuse, torture, electricity, darkness, memory loss, suicidal thoughts.
> 
> Within the chapter, outside of the Abduction Memory, also contains drug usage, abuse, torture, memory loss, and rape.

**\-- Shock Play --**   


The jolt to the lower back was only enough to wake him, nothing more. Remaining still, he listened, surveying his surroundings. Wherever he was, it was cold, damp, and there were restraints of some sort on his ankles, but not his wrists. Interesting. 

Another jolt is felt, this time on his leg. He sighed as he cracked open an eye. Whoever was with him hadn't yet realised he was awake. He then felt himself very cold as he realised he had been stripped of all this clothing. 

"Come on, already," the other muttered. "Thought these things were supposed to work." 

Soon as the jolt stick pressed against the side of his neck, Hartley snapped his hand up and pulled it away, twisting the other's wrist in the process. Retrieving the stick, he peered at it, and rolled his eyes before tossing it away. 

"You do realise that jolt stick is only 100 volts?" 

"What? Can't be," Jimmy growled as he picked up the stick to look at it more closely. "They assured me it was 1k." 

"Whatever the case, I'm awake now. What do you want, Jimmy?" Hartley straightened himself up, leaning back against the wall. He peered up at his captor rather casually. 

"What do I want? What the hell is it that YOU want?!" Jimmy snapped back at him. 

"Uh," he blinked, clearly not understanding what was going on. "You tell me. I'm the one sitting here naked and chained to this wall. If you really want to know what I want, a blanket would be nice. Or maybe you can just toss me outside?" 

Jimmy slugged him with the jolt stick across the jaw, snapping his head sideways. It only stung a little but it did the job of startling him. 

"Damn, must have worn off," Jimmy muttered again, looking greatly annoyed. "Wait here." 

"As if I could actually go anywhere," Hartley retorted as the door slammed shut. Sighing, he stretched as much as he could. With only his ankles chained, he supposed he could stand up but he didn't know how long he was there, and his muscles felt too weird to trust right then. Likely a drug of some sort that renders muscles useless. 

Scanning his body, he both saw and felt some bruises, a gash on his leg, and felt some cuts along his back but nothing major; those will heal up quickly enough. A deeper scan left him annoyed as he realised his Forces were being blocked. Well, hopefully it's only a temporary thing, a minor set-back. Once the drug affecting his muscles begin to wear off, he'll be able to escape easily enough. Once he's outside, Barry should be able to sense him. Once home again, his friends can eradicate the last of the drugs, and his injuries will be fixed up. First thing in the morning, he'll be feeling like new again. Just another ordinary day. 

Gazing around the room, it was as he expected. Cold, stony, damp; a rather small room with no window, plus one of those really old, sturdy, wooden doors. A stool was nearby, likely where Jimmy had been sitting. 

He was peering at the doorknob when the door slammed open. He quickly found himself drenched by a pail of water. 

"Should have thought of this earlier," Jimmy grinned as he activated two jolt sticks. "Water increases electricity, right?" 

Hartley winced, sitting up straighter, as the two jolt sticks pressed into his chest. After that first second, he sighed and relaxed, letting Jimmy continue pressing those sticks on his body. He did shiver a bit as the water really was icy cold. 

Jimmy cursed after thirty seconds. "Fucking hell is your skin made of?!" He tossed the sticks aside and slugged him with a fist, same place on his jaw, but still not strong enough for any real damage, maybe a bruise. Jimmy then went to the bag he had also brought in. 

Thinking to distract the idiot, maybe buy him a bit more time, Hartley turned his head back to Jimmy. "It's true that electricity becomes stronger when used on objects doused in water. Your sticks were only 100 volts each, so basically 200 volts total. Nice idea with the water, as each stick increased to 400 volts, for 800 volts total between the two. Now, imagine what that would be like if those sticks were 1k as you had initially thought they were. Maybe you'd be rewarded with seeing a bruise form or something." 

Okay, he knew baiting the bastard was a bad idea but he really couldn't help himself. Like, really, what possible harm could Jimmy do, anyway? Did pretty okay with the capture, he'll give him that, but who the hell restrains the ankles and not the wrists? He let out an amused sigh, at how amateurish this whole abduction was, if this really was an abduction. 

"Let's try this one," Jimmy spoke up, ignoring his comments. He came over and then jabbed a syringe into the side of his neck. 

"Gaaah, hell, dude?" Hartley growled as Jimmy pulled the needle out. "You didn't use proper measures at all. That syringe is likely infected, contaminated, the area on my skin is likely to go all icky. Whatever you inserted in me is not going to give you the ... give you ... results you're ... " He blinked, vision going hazy. "Crap ... " 

After what seemed like a few minutes, he felt the the dying twitches in his legs. Maybe it was longer, hours even, who knows. Either way, his body now felt totally like mush as he struggled to sit up. "Fine, neat trick ... whatever that was ... " he gasped as he felt the coldness of the wall against his back. 

A muttered curse caught his attention, and Hartley opened his eyes to see Jimmy with a cell phone. "Bloody hell you doing, giving me false information?" Jimmy was quite angry. "First you give me the incorrect voltage sticks, now the knock-out drug? You assured me SIX hours, not bloody two. Damn, how the hell am I supposed to gauge the next three? Fine, but I needed to insert those three and make sure they take effect before I give him that one. Fine, it's on you if this doesn't work. When? One HOUR?!" Jimmy groaned. "Okay, fine, I'll get right on it." 

Jimmy tossed the cell phone on the stool and hauled the bag over to him. "Just between you and me, good help is really hard to find these days. I don't know how you manage that Lab on your own at work, seeing as Barry is always skipping out." 

"I manage," Hartley shrugged, watching Jimmy carefully inspect the next three bottles and filling the syringes properly. "What's going on, Jimmy?" 

Jimmy ignored the question. "You know, you could do much better work if you had a new partner at the precinct. I see that Barry and Gagne get along pretty well, quite cozy at times. How about once we get back to work, I go see if we can swap partners? Truth be told, I'm a bit tired of Gagne being on my case all the time and treating me like a little kid; Barry would be perfect for that kind of treatment. He needs someone that will make sure he does his work. Now, me, I do my work, but I believe I would work better with you as you're also dedicated to your work, able to get things done without distractions. You actually focus. I've always admired your work ethics." 

Hartley blinked, wondering why Jimmy was talking about work stuff. Lost in thought, he didn't feel Jimmy dabbing at his arm before inserting the first syringe. "Jimmy, what the hell makes you think you'll even still have a job once ... once ... ARGH!" He hissed as the burning grew, his eyes growing blurry with the pain. 

"Oh, trust me. The Captain won't fire me, he needs me too much. Plus, he won't ever know about this. Neither will you actually, once this next one takes affect." Matching action to words, Jimmy inserted the second syringe just in behind his right ear, in that tiny soft area. Jimmy then leaned in to inspect the area. "Mmm, I can see why Barry likes this area so much." Hartley winced as he felt a lick behind his ear. "It really is a remarkable piece of territory. Smooth, soft, very enticing." 

Hartley glowered, but, unfortunately, he wasn't able to move away as Jimmy inspected his neck, his chest, his sides, his nipples. "Don't you have a third one for me?" he growled, in a miserable attempt to distract the bastard. 

"Impatient, are we?" Jimmy chuckled as he grasped his cock, pressing hard against the slit. "Fine, then. I'm thinking ... " he reached for the final syringe, " ... I'll jab you right here." 

As much as he hadn't wanted to give the bastard the satisfaction, Hartley couldn't help but scream as the syringe pierced through the base of his cock. By the time the pain subsided enough for him to stop screaming, his vision became incredibly hazy and soon he forgot why his throat felt so raw, why he felt so cold, why there was someone kneeling in front of him, cupping the side of his face, running a thumb lightly over his sore cheek. Why his cheek was sore, he had no idea. 

He didn't know what he was feeling but he felt sore all over, and that scared him. The palm on his cheek was warm, friendly, comforting; he leaned into it as he felt some of the pain subside. He felt dampness on those fingers, realising he caused them to become damp from the moisture dripping from his eye. He sighed as he nuzzled those fingers. 

A few minutes later, he drifted off into a strange, yet comforted sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

**Abduction Memory 3**

He had no idea how long it's been since he wound up here. The days, the nights, they all blended together. The rooms he stayed in had no windows and he never once knew how long he remained in one. The Boss' office had a window but it was always shuttered. There were windows along some of the corridors but they were often dark, or maybe his eyes were dark, seeing as he never noticed his surroundings, not anymore, at least. Why would he? Possible escape? 

He mentally laughed at that outlandish thought, as he was hauled down another all-too-familiar corridor, his feet cold on the stone floors. Come to think of it, he really had no idea what season it was, as this building, whatever it was, it was always cold, always stony, always hard. He had no idea if it was Summer or Winter as the building always felt the same. Not that it really mattered, seeing as the only temperature his body could feel was cold. He couldn't remember the last time he felt anything resembling warmth. 

Stumbling, he felt himself fall forward, face smacking into the floor. The guard holding his chains had turned without warning, causing him to twist painfully, losing his balance. He immediately felt the press of a jolt stick but it did nothing to hasten him along as he didn't feel the electricity at all; the stick may as well have been deactivated for all he knew, or cared. He felt the thud as the stick lashed across his lower back, only because it landed on a bruise that was already there. 

"Not going to get there any faster if you're not going to let me up." 

One of the guards, he had no idea which one, reached forward to grasp the chain tightly wound around his chest, the chain that always kept his arms behind his back, attached to the collar, and he really didn't want to think about how his nipples kept up a steady drip of blood; all these corridors had some permanent marking of his. 

The guard yanked him up on his feet, then jammed a knee into his gut. He didn't feel that much but he certainly felt the air knocked out of his lungs. He didn't mind, after all, lack of air is supposed to lead to darkness, right? Darkness was comforting. He had very little darkness for such a long time. Not since before ... 

He winced as he was thrown into a room, shoulder striking the stone floor, likely dislocated. He didn't move, he knew better, but he also knew it didn't really matter as they would still do whatever it is they were going to do. 

"3k not working, Boss." 

He heard the jolt stick strike his head before clattering onto the floor, followed by two more, tossed away like trash. 

"Already? The 5k sticks haven't arrived yet. I was assured the 3k would last three months, not two fucking weeks!" 

He saw the boots of the Boss come into view, very black, very leathery, lots of snaps, containing three sheaths for knives. That seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember from when. For that matter, he had no memory of how or when he got here, or even why. This place, these men, were all he had ever known. 

"Fuck," Boss growled as he pressed the steel-toed tip of the boot against his throat. "Likely giving you mouth coming down here?" 

Various words of consent were heard, some complaining it wasn't the right kind of mouth they wanted. He rolled his eyes before he could stop himself, resulting in three hard kicks to the side of his face, feeling a bone snap. How he wished for the darkness to return, but they took that away from him months ago, even the ability to sleep; when they let him rest, it was always in a stupor, unmoving, unblinking, always awake. He had no idea when he last slept. 

"You, go get the batch from the fifth." 

Feet scurried off and he knew that the chosen guard has gone to get whatever batch of drugs laid within the fifth cabinet. Maybe one of them will finally grant him that darkness. 

"Damn drugs are wearing off too fast," Boss spat out. "Hook him up, double the amount. Combined with the heaviest from the fifth, should keep him compliant for a very long time." 

Sounds could be heard of something being set up, then he was hauled back up to his feet, to then be strapped down on his back to some sort of metal bench. They had unchained his hands from behind his back to be stretched above his head and down to be attached to the legs of the bench. His legs were similarly restrained. He winced at the coldness of the bench but made no sound. 

He then felt chains being secured to his body, metal chains, as cold as the bench, and not unfamiliar to him. He knew what was coming, having had undergone this session at least once a week since they destroyed his body, sometimes multiple times a week. However, there seemed to be more chains than last time. 

"Anything you want to say, punk?" Boss asked, standing above him. 

He said nothing, only glared up into those dark eyes. 

Boss chuckled. "Always so defiant. Fine, then, I have something to say to you. A question, actually." 

That was new. Anytime Boss needed to talk to him, it was always ordering him to check his accounts, or hack into high-security places for "intel gathering" or changing police records. Whatever Boss wanted, this time, he was certainly curious about it but also couldn't really care less. He turned his head away. 

Boss rammed his steel claws into his throat, pulling his head back into position. His breathing immediately staggered as a lung was likely pierced. 

"Do NOT look away when I speak to you. Fuck, where is he with the drugs?" 

"Here, Boss." 

In short order, packages were opened, syringes filled, and he soon felt the prick of a dozen needles on various parts of his body. Even though his body couldn't feel much of anything, it was also inconsistent with what little he could feel ... needles are one such thing he always felt, and Boss' claws. Electricity was hit or miss, depending on the voltage. Apparently, 3k volts no longer worked on him. Whatever they strike him with, it's usually pain of some sort he could feel, and cold, nothing else. The inconsistencies were likely because of some of the drug interactions. 

Eyes glazing over, he could hear his bindings and chains rattle as his body spasmed. He felt a burning sensation in his groin, painful prickles against his ass, two ribs cracked ... there ... he could see the darkness, just ... out ... of ... he screamed as he felt the branding iron on his skin, inner right thigh, high enough for his balls to constantly rub against. 

"Now, then," Boss began after a few moments, once his scream trailed off. "My men have been encountering some difficulties out there. There are also rumours. It's no secret that some dick of a scientist created all those Meta Humans running around the city. There's one in particular I need to know about as he's the one causing the most trouble. Word is, you are the one person in all of Central City that knows who he is." 

Scientist? Meta Humans? Central City? What the fuck is Boss rambling on about? 

He blinked as a photograph was held in front of his eyes. Once focused enough, he saw it was of some guy wearing a red suit ... a very tight, red leather suit. Or, at least, what appeared to be leather, could be some other material but whatever the case, it was very form fitting ... and familiar ... and ... 

The photo was tossed aside to be replaced by another, this time in combat with some guy in a parka with some sort of ice gun. The next few photos were from various sources as civilians managed to snap pictures of this guy in action, saving hostages during bank robberies, burning buildings, traffic pile-ups, even a few photos at various functions and events, posing with the public. The final two photos caught his attention; the first one was of him talking to the guy. He didn't recognise himself as he was wearing some dark gear with various tech objects on his belt and a crossbow slung over his back, wearing some sort of communication head-set. He was also standing very casually. The next photo was from another night, again talking to that same guy in the red suit, but also standing much closer to each other, definitely inside the personal boundary line. 

He had no idea who that was, or where these photos came from. 

"As you can see, you are quite familiar with the guy," Boss purred as he flicked the photo away. "Now, tell me who he is and where I can find him." 

His body arched as he felt stabbing pain up inside his ass. Whatever had been jammed up there, jabbed into the sides, like spikes of some sort ... something that also felt familiar from another lifetime ago. 

"How the FUCK should I know?!" 

He was immediately rewarded with electricity coursing through his body. 

"That was 5k volts," Boss spoke in a dangerous tone. "I will increase by 1k each time you refuse to answer me." 

Struggling to regain his vision, fighting to regain some sort of normalcy in his breathing, he gritted his teeth as his body slowly came down from the spasms. 

"I don't know who that is," he hissed out the words. "I don't know when those photos were taken, I don't know how they were taken. I don't know why I'm in those photos. I Don't KNOW!" 

He didn't know how long Boss continued to pry. He didn't know how high the voltage got to. All he knew was that he was crying, something he hadn't been able to do for months. His voice was hoarse from all his screaming. The only words he seemed to know exist were, "I don't know," repeated over and over again. 

He barely felt the chains removed, didn't take notice of the men striking his body repeatedly with various lashing weapons, whatever they were, whips, canes, barbed wire, whatever, they're all the same, all leaving dozens of fresh wounds, bleeding out. Maybe this time they'll let him bleed out more than usual, save him from betraying the guy in red ... whoever it was. 

He was completely numb, both physically and mentally. He was practically comatose when he was hauled back to his feet, chained up again, and dragged back down the corridor. He felt himself tossed back into his room, the one he shared with his companion. He heard the door slam shut, followed by the heavy chain dragging along the floor. He felt himself pressed harder into the floor as a heavy weight settled upon him. 

Whatever that combination of drugs was, for the first time in months, he sank into that glorious darkness. 

* * * *

Two more guards down, the Hunter surged forward in the direction of the bestial roar. He turned a corner, shot two more dead, and poked his head inside the room they were standing outside of. Three more were inside, having a stand-off with a large tiger that had a scar over its right eye. One guy was clutching his arm, gun on the floor where it had fallen from its grip, the tiger growling with bloody claws seeking a new target. 

Just as another raised his barbed whip, the Hunter raised his own custom piece and shot him in the back of the head. His other gun did the same to the third guy, both hitting the floor at the same time. He then shot the bleeding guy dead. 

Holstering one gun, the Hunter checked his scanner, assuring himself that these were the last ones left alive in the building. Pocketing the scanner, he approached the tiger without fear, speaking soothingly to it. Seeing the chain, the Hunter raised his gun and fired. Grasping the chain, he twisted and it fell apart, freeing the tiger. 

The Hunter then removed his coat to cover the naked body that now laid prone beneath the tiger; when he first arrived, his target had been spasming. Scooping the boy up into his arms, the Hunter stood and headed out. He paused for only a moment to assure himself the tiger headed off toward the distant forest, then headed off in the opposite direction, toward home. 

\----------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------

Kyle blinked, wondering why that particular memory came to mind. 

"Stop." 

Kenneth slammed on the brakes just as Kyle opened the car door and hopped out. He heard his friend cursing but paid him no mind as he scanned the immediate area. 

Kyle couldn't be sure but he thought he felt a hint of his partner. Tuning everything and everyone out, he turned slowly, much like Barry had done earlier. Opening his eyes again, he found himself facing slightly Southward but further West. They were already in the Western district, past the Western branch of the CCPD. 

Pressing a button on his cell phone, Barry appeared in front of him. 

"More South," he told the speedster, watching his friend zip off again. 

Getting back in the car again, Kyle clicked his seatbelt back on as Kenneth smashed his foot on the pedal, tearing down after the Flash. Wherever Hartley was, he was somewhere South of the Metro bridge. 

\----------------------------------------------

"What of him?" 

He heard the deep voice, followed by a familiar clicking sound. 

"He'd be good bait, make sure our target follows orders. At the very least, I'm sure he could be used while training up the fledglings. He does have some useful combat skills and is more than capable of assisting the more amorous ones with their mating skills." 

"Hrmmm," the deep voice thought that over. "He does look nice. You sure this is the right one?" 

"Definitely. I guarantee he is the prime mate of our target. It is quite possibly why he has such a high resistance to electricity, having all that voltage pounding into his ass every single day, likely multiple times." A snicker could be heard from the smooth-voiced one. "For now, I want to keep my eye on this one a little longer, find out the best way to get our target. Once I insert the second chip, he'll be more pleasant toward me, more trusting, more open." 

"Get on with it," the clicking voice growled. 

He cracked open an eye to see a blurry outline of a human bending down next to him. "Hey, you're awake?" the voice said soothingly. All he could do was a weak nod as the other helped him sit up. "You were out for an hour. I know you hurt but you won't be for much longer." 

He soon felt those warm lips on him as he closed his eyes again. He swallowed whatever was inserted into his mouth. He felt the prick of another needle against his neck. He sighed as he leaned forward, resting his aching head on the other's chest. 

"That's it, you're safe here, with me," the human said soothingly, stroking his back. "Soon you'll be feeling better. This won't last much longer." 

He liked soothing, he liked soft fingers, he liked stroking, he liked being held, he liked feeling comforted. 

Feeling ... incredible word that was. He focused on feeling everything about the human that was holding him. Warm, soft, tender, hard, piercing ... he hissed as he felt sharp nails drag down along both sides of his spine. He felt a hardness press against his groin. He shivered, knowing that something wasn't quite right. 

Lifting his head, he peered into the dark eyes of the smiling human. Dark and smiling shouldn't go together, was the single thought he had. The human kissed him again, a hand on the back of his head, pulling him forward. The other hand dragged downwards, sliding between his crack, a claw finding his hole and pressing inward, soon joined by a second, and a third. Those nails ... claws ... didn't feel like normal human nails at all. Everything about this human was feeling mixed up, confusing, contradictory. He sighed as he swallowed something warm. 

"Perfectly compliant, Commander. Want to have a go? He's quite ready." 

"Hrmmm, it has been a long time," the Commander spoke thoughtfully. "He won't be any trouble? He will need to be readjusted in those chains, there's no room for me back there." 

The human chuckled then snapped off an ankle clamp. "Will only be a moment to switch these chains, then you can move him as you please." The other clamp was removed to then be quickly attached to the opposite ankle, then the second clamp was attached, the chains now crossing over one another. "Want his wrists free or attached to the wall?" 

"I prefer them a bit feisty so keep them free, for now. Attach the cuffs, though, in case I need to bind him to the wall." 

A sense of panic began to fill him as the human did as instructed, cuffing his wrists but not tying them together. The human stood up and left the room, leaving him alone with the strange beast with the clicking beak. 

"Now, then, sooner you get used to this, the better. Got a lot of fledglings ready to leave their nests, two of them are my own. You will become quite useful in their training, in many things." 

He felt those talons flip him over and drag down his back. His own sweat seeped into those open wounds, stinging him terribly. He felt a burning inside of him, steadily growing. He lurched forward as he felt fur along his ass, banging his shoulder against the wall. 

"Remain still or this will hurt you far worse than you can possibly imagine," the beak clicked against his ear as this Avian growled. That was it ... that's what these particular beasts were called. 

Grateful at having remembered something, he then screamed as he was penetrated, feeling that burning sensation reach its peak, and explode out of him. 

Gasping, he shuddered on the floor, not understanding what happened, but whatever it was, cracked something inside, as fragments of memories swirled around inside his head. Pushing himself up to his knees, he looked behind him to see an Avian slumped against the far wall; unconscious, dead, he did not know, nor cared. 

Standing, legs shaking, he attempted to walk but noticed the chains on his ankles. Bending down, grasping them, dark energies flowed out and snapped them. Freed, he headed for the door, splintering it, then wandered out, removing the wrist cuffs along the way. 

He encountered numerous resistance as he strolled down the corridors. No less than a dozen Avians wound up dead as he passed by. Minutes later, he found the exit and stepped out into the cool air, his vision beginning to clear. 

A few metres from the building, he heard squawking and a strong beating of wings from above him. He turned around just as an Avian flew into his chest, knocking him backward, rolling down the hill, closer to the river. He heard two more of the cursed beasts coming in. He killed that first one only to be attacked by another, who held him face-down into the ground, talons digging into the back of his neck, and irritatingly enough, in his ass. He hissed as the third Avian held his head down and his arms, supporting its partner. 

A moment later, the Avian in front of him squawked and fell to the side, dead. He winced as the other one ripped his claws out of his ass, drawing blood, as it, too, toppled over. He rolled over on his back to gaze upward to see another damn Avian coming in. Raising an arm, he shot off a dark energy bolt which grazed a wing, sending the Avian spiraling for a moment. He then heard a gunshot, and watched the Avian fall to the ground. 

Another human flung himself at him, wrapping dark leather arms around him ... familiar leather arms, the smell, the feel ... he winced at the pain in his ass. 

"Gods, the hell them birds do to you?!" the other growled as he felt that jacket placed over his shoulders. "You're too cold. Once Sparky gets here, we'll get you warmed up proper." 

Sparky ... that caused another flicker of memory, associating the name to the one who wears a red leather ... not quite leather ... suit. "Mem ... " he struggled to get out the syllable. 

"Shit, drugged you, eh? One sec." Even though the words were growly, they were also powerfully soothing, quite the contrast to that silken-smooth voice from earlier. He found he liked this new voice better. 

Soon, he found himself pressed against another body while the powerfully soothing one remained in front of him. Arms wrapped snuggly around his waist, strong arms, familiar. 

"You just relax against Vic here, I'll fix you right up." 

He peered up into those sparking blue-grey eyes, taking in the features of the one who spoke. A few scars lined the right side of his face, a scar over the right eye, a clump of dark brown hair fell down over the forehead. Reaching up, he felt that jaw, how it felt familiar with the prickles of dense hair, hard lips that seemed to soften beneath his touch, the nose that was once broken, maybe multiple times. The name came to him as the other held his roaming hand. "Floyd ... " 

"Yeah, that's me. Seems your mind is cracked but I'll do a quick patch-up job until it's safe to move you. Try not to think about anything, okay? You're safe with us, me and Victor. The others should be here soon. They met up with some flying resistance." 

"How ... " 

"Hush, li'l mouse, no more speaking. What did I just say, hmm? Relax, melt into Vic while I fix you up." 

The familiar words were accompanied by familiar energies as he felt a steady stream flow into his body. Relaxing, melting, he closed his eyes. 

\----------------------------------------------

"There's too many of the blasted things!" Calvin cried out as he ducked behind Kenneth who shot another Avian out of the sky. "Too many dots on the scanner." 

"Remove the damn dots, then!" Kenneth growled as another Avian hit the ground. 

That ... caught his attention as he scanned the dots on the scanner. How does one remove dots on a scanner? Easy, short them out, deactivate the scanner, remove the battery. Closing his eyes, he thought about what he could do. 

A thud in front of him startled him as he blinked up at a sharp beak, inches from his face. Yelping, he pressed back into Kenneth's back, earning a curse in the process. Without thinking, Calvin rammed his scanner into the Avian's chest, felt an energy surge, and watched as the Avian squawked and fall over. 

"Hell you do, kid?" Kenneth turned to catch his trembling body, the useless scanner falling to the ground. "When I said to remove the dots, I didn't exactly mean to destroy the damn scanner!" 

"I ... I ... I ... " Calvin held up a trembling arm, watching the sparks fade away from his fingertips 

Kenneth hissed, covering those fingers with his big strong ones. "Easy, I got you. Nothing to be scared of." 

Calvin melted at the soothing words, feeling them penetrate his skin, and feeling those arms tighten around him putting a halt to his trembling. He breathed deeply a few times before coming back to himself. 

"Got another scanner in my bag," he told the officer. 

Kenneth snorted. "Of course you do. Come on, then. I'll keep the monster birds off you while we break for the car." 

"Right." Gathering what very little courage he had left, Calvin dashed off toward the squad car, Kenneth right behind him. 

\----------------------------------------------

Cursing as another damn Avian thudded down next to him, Barry spun, once again, toward the direction he was supposed to be headed. He barely got two feet before another squawk came in on his right side. Side-stepping, he lost his balance as a bullet pierced through the neck, the Avian falling dead at his feet. 

"Where the hell are these blasted things coming from?!" Barry growled as Kyle pulled him back up to his feet. 

He was beyond pissed, and rightfully so. After wasting so much time scanning every single building along the West side, then down in the more Southern section below the Metro bridge at Kyle's prompt, he was beyond furious at the bouncing sense signal. Just when he thought he caught the sense, it blinked out, leaving him searching helplessly and disoriented, until the sense flickered back to life again. 

Now they were being held up by an army of Avians that just don't know when to quit. He barely registered Cisco's voice as the other informed him that the Gotham jerk rudely demanded a portal, then upon reaching STAR Labs, stole a portable breach device, then rudely ported out again, very rudely! Barry only felt mildly relieved that they had back-up that was outside of this swarm, as his entire focus was on these damn, cursed birds. 

Very angry, Barry began to spark violently, taking out three more Avians that had the misfortune to fly overhead. He quickly found himself restrained by a trio of clamps. Glancing over his shoulder, he growled, "Bloody hell you doing?!" 

"Down!" Kyle ordered him. "Focus." 

"Fucking asshole," Barry spat out then twitched, and spasmed, as Kyle speared through his body with multiple misty tendrils. He soon found himself gasping, as he stared up at the sky from his position on the ground, feeling soothing energies enter his body. He heard another thud a few feet away, and feet running up to them. 

"Guys, I got an ideee....what happened?" Calvin stumbled to a halt a few feet away. 

Barry groaned as Kyle helped him up. "Nothing, just got winded by an Avian," he told the young tech, relieved that he was no longer restrained. "What's up?" 

Calvin pressed a palm to his chest and Barry immediately felt the pulsing energies, the last of his negative energies dissipating. "Better?" Calvin asked as he removed his palm. 

"Uh," Barry blinked. Reaching his own palm out, he felt a strong pulse coming from Calvin. "Pulsey," he awed. 

Calvin snorted then giggled. "Don't think I much care for that word, if you know what I mean." 

"Pulse Boy? Impulse?" 

"Impulse is taken," Jackson told them, flinching as everyone snapped their heads toward him. "What? I know things, okay? Sheesh. Just call him Calvin, not everyone needs some dorky superhero name." 

"Who the hell has Impulse?!" Barry really wanted to know that piece of information, not understanding why, but it was certainly doing a good job at distracting him from what nearly happened a few minutes ago. 

"Does it matter?" Kenneth growled the loudest, causing everyone else to clamp their mouths shut. "Now that everyone's listening, Sparky, here's a rod for you. Cal?" 

"Right," Calvin grasped the rod that was now in Barry's hands. 

He had no idea what was happening but Barry soon felt the rod fill up with pulsing energy. He then began adding his own electric energies, watching as the rod flickered red, blue, yellow. 

"That should do it," Calvin stepped back, away from the heavily-sparking rod. "Dash around the perimeter a few times." 

"Uh, okay?" Barry shrugged then zipped off, circling the area three times before coming to a halt in front of his friends again. A moment later, dozens of thuds were heard as Avians fell out of the sky. "Whoa," he whistled. 

"Cool, right?" Calvin beamed. "Figured a lightning rod would help. Not the kind that attracts lightning, but the kind that unleashes sparks into the sky." 

That caught his attention. "Have you been hanging around Mardon?!" 

"Ahh," Calvin blushed. "Kinda ran into him on one of my Sky Pulse scanning days. Got to talking about the weather and the pulses. He showed me his new wand as we found a Sky Pulse and he blasted it out of the sky with sparks. Kinda how I got the idea, partially, just now ... " 

Barry groaned as the words trailed off. He hated the idea of Mardon being around the kid but he was also relieved to know that Mardon hadn't hurt the kid. "Okay, great, fine. Very useful but ... " 

"I know, I know," Calvin sighed. "Mardon's a criminal, and not a very sane one either, as he's easily agitated, high-strung, and reacts more often before thinking. Likely bi-polar. Don't worry, I'll be careful around him if I see him again." 

"Good ... " 

A loud squawk interrupted the conversation and Barry immediately dashed off in that direction, leaving the others behind. Reaching his destination, he let his entire body spark as he phased through an Avian, then turned to hurl a bolt at another. Skidding to a halt next to the other three, he spun, his sparks vortexing upward to catch two more Avians. 

"Sparky!" Floyd caught his wrist and slammed it against Hartley's chest. "Spark!" 

Barry immediately followed that order, blasting a large amount of sparks into that cold body, unmindful of the ones that bounced toward the two Hunters. Unleashing another blast, he saw the legs twitch. One more blast, and his partner gasped, snapping upward, his own green-blue sparks emerging. Barry quickly wrapped his arms around that precious body, feeding Hart all the warmth he had. 

"Easy, easy, I got you, I'm here," Barry told him, filling every single word with every ounce of love he had. 

Three gunshots were heard followed by three more thuds. He barely took notice of Kyle coming up to speak to Victor, replacing the Hunter behind Hartley. He growled softly as Jackson came over, hearing more gunshots. He didn't want to get up, but duty calls. 

"Got a few more Avians to take out. Can you hold on for a few minutes?" Barry sent forth a final healing burst before pushing him lightly back into Kyle's arms. He felt nauseated at how pale the nodding face looked. "Okay, this shouldn't take much longer. Jackson will protect you while Kyle sends over his energies." Wincing at a too-close-by thud, Barry kissed his partner on the forehead, then stood up. 

Receiving a freshly charged-up rod from Calvin, Barry felt more determined than he ever had in his life. He felt a lot of pure energy flowing through his body as he vowed to take out every last one of these damn Avians, the very Avians that dared hurt his partner, his beloved. 

\----------------------------------------------

Panting, Barry halted next to his friends quite some time later. He had no idea how long they were battling the Avians but it was enough to drain him considerably. He silently cursed as his comm beeped. 

"Whatever it is will just have to wait, Cisco," Barry growled into his suit-comm, then flicked it off. He turned as he felt a gust of wind, coming face-to-face with a large rodent. "Gonzalez! What is it?" He scritched behind the ear, feeling a sense of agitation. 

Try as he might, Barry could not decipher the nickerings from the large Meta mouse. He turned at a weak voice behind him. 

"Here," Hartley held out his hand, indicating Gonzalez. He was very weak, very injured, and struggled to stay sitting upright against Kyle while Floyd and Jackson tended to him. 

"It's okay, you can trust him," Barry told the curious mouse. His back-up comm beeped and Cisco started jabbering again. "Not NOW, Cisco!" He winced as he heard a loud gunshot followed by a thud. "Yes, Cisco, little busy over here." 

"That's the last one," Kenneth declared. "No more on the scanner." 

"Confirmed," Calvin stated, still staring at the device. "Damn, where the heck are these things coming from?" 

Barry secretly beamed at the young tech's question. As much as he dislikes having youngsters in the middle of a battlefield, he's pleased at how quickly Calvin grasped the situation. Like everyone else there, Calvin knew that there are a lot more Avians out there. Most rookies would have believed that what they just took out now, was the end of it. But not Calvin, as he had the proper sense about these things, and the proper qualifications to be a Force bearer. 

Turning back to the strange conversation, he watched his partner smile up at the large rodent, finding just the right spots to scratch. He only had to wait another moment before Hartley spoke up. 

"The Beast near the airfield feels tingly and sends out tingles along the ground, strong enough to feel at the Grove." 

Barry turned his comm back on. "Cisco! Tell the others to fall back. That Beast has a long-range shockwave. Does it matter how I know? Just do it, okay?" Turning back to Gonzalez, he asked, "Is the Grove okay? Any damage?" 

Some nickering and Hartley translated. "No, Grove is fine. Some shaking, some fallen leaves, but with colder weather coming, that would happen soon, anyway. Lair gained a new entry." 

Barry sighed. "Okay, good you're okay and the Grove survived. Once that Beast is taken care of, I can help fix up your Lair." To Hartley, he asked, "We can shield it somehow, right?" 

Hartley nodded, and winced as Jackson tied the last bandage. "Yes, got some shock-resistant shielding in the works. Been meaning to secure the Grove ... " 

Barry clearly heard the regret in the delay as the words trailed off. He knew how much that Grove meant to his partner. It was a hidden area, a place of safety, one that Hartley had escaped to many times over the years as a kid, and again more recently, right before Gotham. Sooner they get that Grove secured, the better they all will feel. 

Turning to the Hunter that came up behind him, Barry asked, "Vic, got any shockwave gear?" 

Victor gazed upon his body for a moment before nodding, then reached into a pocket for a pair of clamps. Tossing them, they automatically snapped around Barry's ankles, powering on once secured. 

"Uh, these are supposed to help?" Barry inquired, lifting a boot up to peer at the clamp. 

It was Hartley that snorted and responded. "You seriously need to ask that? Go take care of that Beast." 

Casually shoving a groping Floyd aside, Barry placed a palm on his partner's chest and sent over some warm energies, then bent forward to kiss his Hart. "Don't want to leave you but I better take care of that Beast before it wanders into more populated areas." 

"Sooner you get going, sooner you get back," Hart told him. "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get back home safely enough, without too many new bruises." Then softer, hauling him down again to speak directly into his ear, "Thank you, get back to me soon. I need you." 

Barry nipped him on the ear and spoke just as softly so nobody else could hear, aside from Kyle. "You mean so much to me. Stay strong for me, and I'll get you fixed right up. Then I'll remind you just how much I truly love you." He kissed him again before standing back up again. 

"Gonzalez, can you stay with my friends? I want you to remain with Hartley and follow any orders by either Hartley or Kyle. Understand?" 

The large rodent nickered, sniffed his palm, sniffed Hartley, sniffed Kyle, then sat on its haunches with a tail wrapped around Hart's waist. 

"Kenneth, Jackson, make sure they get home safely. Vic, make sure Floyd behaves himself. I don't want to be healing up any new marks when I get back." 

Receiving confirmation from everyone, and an annoyed snort from the Gotham dick Hunter, Barry zipped off to where the latest Beast was. 

He hadn't known what to expect upon arrival but seeing a large winged scaly beast with a heavy-plated tail battling a fire-breathing anthro tiger was definitely nowhere on his list. 

"Has it weakened any?" Barry asked as he zipped up to Leonard, sliding into a tree in the process. Leonard kept up a slow, steady stream of ice on the ground, rather than making any effort to help him up. 

"Not much," Leonard told him. Barry winced as he saw a distant tree topple while others swayed far too dangerously as the scaly Beast landed on the ground again. He only felt a tiny vibration where they stood. "Shockwaves haven't decreased any." 

"Great," Barry muttered, glancing around. "Where's Mick?" 

Leonard nodded with this chin in the direction of the pyro. "Far side of them. We were already separated when the first shockwave hit. They were weaker then, grew stronger as it became more agitated. We were hoping to attack from different angles but ... " he shrugged. 

The tree behind them suddenly cracked from another shockwave. It was then that Barry noticed that Leonard kept his balance perfectly. "Your ice is a dampener," he awed. 

"Indeed." 

"Okay, while that tiger is keeping that dragon ... " 

"Pteradon," came Cisco's voice over the comm. "With some changes, obviously. More like a Rhyhorn, Aerodactyl, Nidoking mix if you think about it." 

"How the heck did you get Pteradon out of those three?! We're calling it Nidaerohorn." 

"Who's the name-maker around here? Dude, that's a horrible name." 

"Better than calling it a very well-known flying dinosaur when the only thing that resembles are the wings ... " Barry's words trailed off as he focused on the wings. "They're not proportional to the rest of its body ... " 

Zipping off, leaving behind a baffled Leonard, Barry circled the newest Meta Beast while the tiger kept its attention. Closer up, as suspected, the wings were much smaller than they should have been. The Beast was jumping more than it was actually flying. He suddenly felt the quake beneath his feet but he remained upright with the assistance of Victor's clamps. In fact, it seemed like the clamps were absorbing the shockwaves, based on the continuous blue flickering. For all he knew, Victor sent him out with these clamps to charge them up. 

The thought of Victor turned Barry's mind into Hunter Mode, had him thinking about their equipment, and what they would do when faced with such a huge dragon beast with wings that couldn't possibly bear its weight. Knock out the feet came the obvious solution. 

"Aim down!" Barry called out to the fire-breathing Beast as it proceeded to do just that. The blaze didn't hurt the scaly Beast at all but it was enough to irritate it, lifting a foot to shake off the embers. That was all Barry needed as he zipped in beneath that foot and pushed upward, getting it more off-balance. The friendly Beast hurled itself forward and slammed into the scaly chest. Together, they knocked the scaly Beast completely off its feet, landing with a heavy thud, creating the biggest shockwave yet. 

Zipping through the forest, Barry came out with many strands of bark, branches, and what few vines he could find. He then secured them around the scaly Beast. "Man, a shrink ray would be pretty good right about now," he muttered, wondering how the heck they were going to secure this Beast. 

"One arrived last week," Cisco spoke up into the comm. "Incoming." 

A portal appeared and something metal came through which he caught neatly. Barry whistled. "This is similar to the one I saw in the library at the Manor." He aimed it at the Beast and fired, shrinking it down to more manageable size, still perfectly tied up. 

"Same one," Cisco told him. "Note said that they got better ones, didn't need this one anymore, figured we could use it during a gaming night or something." 

Barry clearly heard the irritation in that comment. "I know, I'm sorry, Cisco. Been crazy busy with the Meta Beasts and the Avians. I need a night with you, also." 

"It's fine, man. I understand," Cisco waved off the speedster's comments. "We'll get together soon. Priorities are priorities for a reason, right?" 

Barry giggled. "Right. I'll definitely get the pizzas and snacks when I'm free." 

"Good, because I just shelled out a lot of money for the newest Switch, controllers, Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Kirby, and various other games including the Zelda one that I already put over 100 hours into because it's been utterly boring around here. Great game, by the way. Least you can do is fund the nourishment!" 

Barry beamed, feeling so much better. "Soon, Cisco. Been itching to check out the new Smash. Better finish cleaning up down here. Chat later?" 

"Later, dude." Cisco signed off. 

Barry turned as an ARGUS truck pulled up, recognising the leader of this small group. "Stan, just the scaly one. Had to use a shrink ray on him. Tiger's mine." Receiving confirmation from Stan and hearing him bark orders to his team, he was impressed at how swiftly they took care of the scaly Beast and departed the scene, without being bothered by the large tiger watching them. 

"See Mick anywhere?" Leonard came up behind him just as the ARGUS truck pulled away. 

Barry zipped around and quickly found their pyro, laying prone on the ground. "Here!" he announced. 

He was helping Mick sit up when Leonard and the tiger came up to them. "Breathing is staggered but he's fine," Barry told them. "Muscles are mushy from the shockwaves." 

"M'fine," Mick growled. "Jes had wind knocked outta me." 

Barry rolled his eyes as he stood up, helping the pyro to his feet. As expected, the legs trembled way too much and wouldn't hold Mick upright at all. A low growl was heard catching their attention. The tiger Beast plucked Mick out of Barry's arms easily and headed off in the direction of home. 

"Final problem solved," Leonard stated, checking his cold gun to make sure it was powered down properly. "You okay?" 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked, not quite sure what just happened. "Uh, yeah? Yeah. I'm okay. The others are bringing Hartley home." 

"But?" Leonard stepped in closer, catching his eyes. 

"I ... dunno. There were so many Avians, a lot happened today, still processing everything. I really don't know how I'm feeling aside from tired, and relieved that both Hart and Mick are okay." 

Leonard nodded and wrapped his arms around him. "I understand," he spoke softly. "Whatever's happening, we'll figure things out. Remember, you're not alone in this." 

"I know, thank you," Barry rested his head on Leonard's shoulder and took a few deep breaths that were very much needed at that moment. 

Whatever was going on, they will figure it out, together, all of them. 

\----------------------------------------------

Exhausted, shedding his suit wherever it happened to fall on the floor, he collapsed on the bed, snuggling himself into his favourite position. The sleeping form beneath him stirred, causing him to sigh. 

"Didn't mean to wake you, go back to sleep," Barry told his precious partner as he melded further into that soft body. 

"Mmm, you're warm," Hartley mumbled. 

"I'm always warm when you're beneath me," he spoke softly into the ear that slightly turned his way, dampening it with his breath. 

"True," Hartley giggled, sighed contently, then relaxed again. "I'm glad you're here." 

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Barry said truthfully as he began trickling energies into the other; not too much, just enough to assure himself that everything was okay within, and to remind his partner that he doesn't have to rely on his own energies to heal. 

After a few minutes, he heard Hart mumble again. "You feel nice." 

Barry had to smile at the comments as Hartley rarely said such things. "I'm warm, I'm nice, anything else you want to add?" He kissed his partner lightly on the cheek. 

The steady breathing he got in response told him that his precious partner had drifted off to sleep again. 

"Kyle?" 

"Hmm?" 

Tilting his head, Barry peered upward at the Hunter, sitting up in his usual position against the headboard, left side mostly hidden by their sleeping Hart. He sighed, not quite sure what to ask, or even how to ask. Once again, he needn't have worried as the Hunter picked up on his train of thought immediately. 

"Short-term drugs, majority have left his system. Only ones that linger affect his energy, alertness, awareness. Those will be gone by morning. I have a constant watch on him so you need not worry. Both Forces are fully active again, from when you flooded him earlier." 

That information relieved him so much. Barry hated having to leave Hart to deal with that Meta Beast but he knew that Kyle would be able to get him home, protect him, keep him warm. "What should I do?" 

"Exactly as you are doing," Kyle spoke just as softly. "The others are tracking the Avians, gathering intel. The precinct guys are taking care of your Lab. Your job is to continue feeding Hart your energies, and I don't mean just your Force energies." 

Barry caught that rare smile and knew exactly what Kyle was referring to. "That's the one special energy I have an infinite supply of, and he has known it for years." Nuzzling against that tender ear, he breathed in deeply for a moment. "What of you?" 

"Same as always," Kyle told him. "I watch over you two to make sure you're ready for what's to come." 

Barry sighed. "What in the world do they want? Kyle, I'm glad you're here. I don't think I could handle any of this without you." 

"You will never be alone, Barry. If anything, you have far more allies now than you ever had in your entire life. We may not know what these Avians want but, together, we will find out and come to a conclusion, whatever that might be." 

"You're really good with melding your words into any situation, as I am melding my body into the surroundings," Barry mumbled as he let his consciousness drift, feeling the blanket being draped over them. Soon, his own breathing leveled out as he fell asleep, comforted by the watchful Hunter. 

\----------------------------------------------

He had no idea how long he slept but he was certainly feeling much better, aside from some lingering weakness, being overheated, and feeling the constant twitching against his ass. Focusing, he recognised the steady flow of both energies entering his body, and he sighed happily. 

Tilting his head upward, Hartley smiled at his caretaker, his guardian, his own personal Hunter. "Hey." 

"You look better," Kyle spoke fondly. 

"Mmm, I feel better," Hartley settled his head down again. He sighed as he collected his thoughts. "Kyle?" 

"Yes?" 

He knew he needed more rest, more recovery time, but Hartley needed to know. "What happened? Much of it is a blank after we arrived at the precinct. I vaguely recall being outside when you guys found me. I remember everything, then, but not before." 

Hartley felt the deep regret and sadness emanating from his Hunter, and knew how much he was hurting. It was a few minutes before Kyle responded. 

"I let my eyes off you for one single second," Kyle quietly revealed, then switched over to Hunter intel mode. "There was nothing discovered in the Lab but bugs were found along the staircase, including those that scramble the senses. They were activated when you went downstairs, then you were lured outside. No cameras were functioning during that time, and much of the precinct was distracted by the latest pre-season hockey scores. It was later revealed, however, that Clements caught sight of you leaving the building, heading for Jitters; he was on the phone at the time and rapidly taking notes, so hadn't thought anything of it at the time. I ... don't know when I lost your sense as I found an odd Evidence box that had my entire focus, which then needed to be brought to the Captain's attention. I summoned Barry but even he couldn't pinpoint your location, only that you were somewhere West." 

Kyle sighed and rested a hand soothingly on the back of Hart's neck. "We don't know what all happened but Avians were involved. They blocked your powers, your sense. They drugged you, they hurt you. You managed to escape and Barry caught your sense. I felt it as well but we were delayed in getting to you as Avians attacked. Floyd and Victor managed to reach you, watched over you until the rest of us could get to you. When we arrived, you were still in shock, messed up badly, heavily drugged, but your sense was coming in much clearer. We then patched you up enough so you could be moved safely, and brought you home." 

"Think we need our own scramblers," a sleepy voice mumbled into his ear. 

"Agreed," Hartley said as he shifted, causing Barry to roll between them, back against the Hunter's legs. He kissed his partner's forehead. "I'll need to add that to the high-priority list." 

"Mmm, don't forget the anti-shock shield," Barry lazily stretched, legs wrapping around his left, securing him possessively. 

"Indeed, need to get the Grove secured, protect Gonzalez's home." Hartley spoke fondly, having grown quite attached to the large Meta mouse, especially with how it dutifully protected him from Floyd's advances. Despite the Hunter's growling protests, Hartley knew his Gotham partner was equally as fond of Gonzalez. 

Glancing over his side of the bed, he realised that Gonzales wasn't there. "Where ... " 

"Friend of his followed me back here," Barry told him. "Outside, somewhere, I imagine, seeing as the other Beast was much too large to get inside. I don't imagine they're far." 

"Good," he sighed in relief. "I'd hate for anything to happen to him. This other Beast is okay?" 

"Mmm, very much so, yes," Barry said while trailing a hand up inside Hart's shirt. "It helped me out with that _tingly_ Beast, carried Mick home, don't worry he's fine, he just got shockwaved a little too much. Beast felt familiar, though. I gained a weird visual sense from it, from a crime-scene day, attacking an Avian. Once you're on your feet again, we can investigate the Beast further. Gonzalez is happy with it ... him. Likely male, but I haven't actually had the time to properly check. Getting back to you was more of a priority than sifting through Meta fur to see what genitals are hidden within." 

Hartley failed miserably to prevent a squeak when he felt tingly fingers beneath his boxers. "Gaah, hell you doing?" 

"Showing you my latest skill," Barry giggled as he continued lightly roaming those tingly fingers along the hardening cock. "I got to thinking about the Tingle Beast which got me to thinking about how tingling is similar to vibration, which then got me to thinking about how low I could get my vibration and here we are." 

"You're ... tingling?!" Hartley gasped at a strained twitch. Rolling fully onto his back, he frantically pushed himself away, up against the headboard, momentarily dislodging his speedster's grip. "What the bloody hell are you learning from these Meta Beasts?!" 

Barry quickly readjusted himself so he was now straddling Hart's legs, leaning forward with his palms against the headboard, and kissed him. "Mmm, many things," Barry responded after a moment. "Want to feel where else I can tingle?" 

Hartley had no idea why his blasted partner even asked that question as he immediately felt more tingling along his cock, courtesy of the one from above it. A rather familiar twitch occurred causing him to curse. "Christ, stop! Give that a rest, already." As much as he enjoyed Barry's attention to his still-sensitive cock, he didn't want to experience what had happened back in Gotham, as he started to feel those sensations again. Okay, sure, since that time, Barry has brought him to an orgasm multiple times, but they were all dry, and they were all safe, as Floyd's protective shielding held strong. However, during all those times, he hadn't been experiencing the sensation that was bubbling up inside him now. 

"Oh, fine," Barry growled as he puffed out warm air across Hart's face, then leaned down to nibble at an ear before whispering, "I'm not the only one with a new trick." 

"Uh ... " he blinked as Barry phased his shirt off and pressed a palm to his chest. He felt those fingers, thankfully untingling, knead the skin and trail over to a nipple. 

"Mmm, I wonder how you would react," Barry muttered, and Hart quickly found his body twitching as his other nipple was devoured by those devilish lips. 

It was Kyle that spoke the next cryptic words. "Might be too intense." 

"Was fine for me," Barry giggled, switching over to the other nipple. 

"Uh, guys?" Hartley gasped at a painful nip which was quickly soothed by tender fingers. 

"Do you trust me?" Barry gazed into his eyes. 

He couldn't help it, but Hartley snorted and rolled his eyes. Whatever Barry was thinking, he knew he would be against it. But, really, what choice did he have but to endure whatever devilish scheme that was about to happen? Okay, well, he could very easily escape but he was far too intrigued by what's about to happen. 

"Geeeeze, can't even trust your own damn partner," Barry whined as he shifted them around so that Barry was now leaning up against the headboard and Hartley was leaning back against his chest. He quickly found his ankles captured by Barry's and his arms trapped beneath those that wrapped around his waist. 

Hartley wiggled but didn't feel any danger at all, especially when he felt some restraining energies flow over his limbs. He blinked. "How?" 

"Not sure," Barry told him. "The idea popped into my head, and I felt this strange energy stream. I tapped into it, got a better visual, and directed it to your limbs. Too tight?" 

"No, not at all," Hartley commented after a bit more wiggling. "Only Floyd had been able to do this, taught me back in Gotham. You tapped into my Empath stream." 

"Cool," Barry grinned and nuzzled the side of his neck. "Feel free to practice on me anytime. Even though you don't trust me ... " Hart rolled his eyes then giggled, "... I, at least, trust you. For now, go trust Kyle." 

That brought his attention back to their Hunter who now knelt beside them, pressing a palm to Hart's chest. 

"Uh, Kyle?" Hartley peered up into those sparking smoky eyes, grey-white energies swirling within. 

"You can free yourself?" Kyle inquired, to which Hartley nodded. Of course, he can free himself, very easily, if he felt the need. 

Barry spoke into his ear again. "If you survive this, I'll reward you with a _very_ important piece of intel. Something you've wanted to know for a long time." 

That piqued his interest a great deal as he peered back into Barry's now sparking yellow-orange eyes. He swallowed and forced his body to relax, as he turned back to Kyle. 

Taking a few deep breaths, feeling his own energies, and those of both his partners, Hartley growled out fondly, "Fine, get it over with. Can't be all that bad." 

"One or both?" Kyle asked, placing his other hand on Hart's chest, and spacing them so each rested next to a nipple. 

"Uh ... " he blinked, beginning to sweat. 

"Oh, go both," Barry giggled. "This info is worthy of both." 

Crap, whatever information Barry has, must be the greatest news of the century! Hartley wiggled again as Barry's devious emotions rang through loud and clear, then relaxed again as soothing energies mingled with the restraining energies. 

Again, he could escape very easily but he was too far gone with his need to know that piece of information that his cursed partner was dangling in front of his nose. He sighed. "Go ahead." 

Very soon he felt perfectly relaxed as Barry held him comfortingly and Kyle ran soothing, soft hands over his chest. Hartley felt so much warmth and love in their energies that he nearly drifted off to sleep. His focus quickly returned as those fingers grew even softer, until they were nothing but wispy tendrils, trailing across his nipples. His breath caught as those tendrils flowed through his nipples, then paused. He blinked, realising that he needed to breathe. 

Exhaling, Hartley resumed his breathing. A moment later, the wispy tendrils continued their exploration of his nipples. It was a strange sensation but he soon found he enjoyed it. He began losing himself to the wonderful sensations when he felt a bit more pressure, the tendrils flowing deeper, the bubbling inside him growing. His eyes snapped open as he felt the first tender stroke from behind his nipple, then the other. He blinked rapidly at this incredibly new sensation, then felt his entire body tense. Whatever was happening ... his body began to spasm. 

"Crap ... " Hartley panicked as the bubbling reached it's peak. "Shield ... " 

That was the only warning he could give them as his entire body sparked and darkness overcame him. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry's entire body sparked automatically into a protective shield at the same time as the Hunter's own shield sprang to life. Redirecting the restraining energies to the shield, he used the power of his own limbs to hold his sparking Hart. 

He didn't know exactly what happened but Hartley was currently unleashing a very powerful shockwave that pounded against his shields. Barry didn't think his shields were strong enough to contain the energies completely, but he hoped that he was holding back the worst of them. He also hoped that they would subside soon as he didn't know how much longer he could hold on to his partner. 

What seemed like forever had only been three minutes, as Barry slowly lowered his shield. Gasping, he released his hold on the trembling body, his own muscles feeling like mush. He also felt very damp. Opening his eyes, he could see the sweat pouring off the precious body. He also saw Kyle regaining his feet over by the door. 

"Daaaaamn," he hissed as he shifted, placing Hartley on his back. He kissed the damp forehead, watching those eyes flicker open. "Easy, I got you." 

"Wha ... " 

Barry kissed him on the lips, preventing any further words. "You're okay, I'm okay. You're sweaty." 

Hartley giggled, a sound that Barry much adored right that moment. He has no idea what happened, and it startled both him and Kyle, but he was much relieved at seeing that Hartley was more than okay. 

Roaming a hand down the cooling chest, Barry dipped beneath the boxers and felt ... felt ... Pulling his hand out, he sniffed, he licked, he then tore the boxers completely off, not hearing the protesting squeak. Inspecting further, he swallowed down the entire length of the cock, sucked a few times, then slowly dragged his lips back up. Eyes sparking a wide range of colours, Barry grinned. 

"Do you have any idea what just happened?!" he asked incredulously. Scurrying back up, he placed his lips upon Hartley's, kissing him, while depositing some of the load. Pulling back, he grinned down at his very blushing Hart. 

"Tub is ready," Kyle announced. 

"Mmm, gotta get you cleaned up, get rid of all that sweat," Barry told his precious partner as he got up off the bed. Reaching down, he hauled Hartley up onto trembling legs, and led him to the en-suite, where the steaming tub awaited them. 

Settling inside the tub, with Hartley's back to his chest, Barry sighed happily as the bubbles and lavender scent flowed over their bodies. Despite their relaxing bodies, something was on Barry's mind that he couldn't let go of. "Hart?" 

"Mmm?" came the blissful reply, as his partner was a lot more relaxed than usual. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered into that damp ear, earning an inquiring look. "I pushed you too hard and I shouldn't have restrained you the way I did ... " 

Hartley twisted around slightly to kiss him, interrupting his words. "Don't be, I'm not sorry at all." Settling back into position again, he continued, "That kind of restraint was fine as it was one out of our own making, and because it came from my energies, I could easily free myself. I was in no danger." 

Barry thought that over for a moment. "True, you didn't feel panicked or anything like that, and I was watching closely for those signs. You still let out a powerful shockwave, though." 

"I trust you," Hartley spoke softly. "More than you realise, you're the one person I trust the most in the entire Multiverse. Even if my memory is being tampered with, even if I can't remember your name or who you even are, I will always trust you. My body knows you, my Forces know you. Even when my Forces are blocked, they are constantly fighting to free themselves, in hopes of catching your Force's attention." 

"Like what happened earlier. I caught Empath a couple times before it flickered out again." Barry sighed. "I am really not liking those blocks." 

"Same," Hartley agreed. "As for the shockwave, that hadn't happened since Gotham, and back then, it was only minor. Empath grew considerably since then." 

"Daaaamn," Barry hissed then giggled. "I'm gonna need to improve my shields before I molest you again." Ignoring his own suggestion, he ran his fingers lightly along that semi-erect cock, feeling those familiar twitches that he adored so much. 

"Add it to my high-priority list," Hartley sighed. "Once I'm back up to sufficient levels, I can certainly assist you with your shields. I need to check Kyle's shields as well." 

"Mmm, later though. Need to scan you first." Without waiting for a reply, Barry gave a gentle squeeze before placing his palm back on Hart's chest, sending over soothing energies. Matching his breathing to his partner's, he sent his consciousness inward. 

* * * *

Inside, letting his sparks loose, Barry passed through the first three barriers easily. At the final barrier, he did his duty in feeding the barrier, the Empath shield, his energies until it glowed a bright blue and let him pass. 

Inside the inner core, Barry gazed around the chamber, once again feeling awed by the size of it; he really couldn't see any sort of walls or barriers, aside from where he entered from. 

"You fancy being here that much?" 

Barry turned at the growly tone, hearing the fondness in those words. "Of course, who wouldn't? All these blue and green sparks moving around freely, under careful watch of the two great Guardian Orbs." He let loose more of his own yellow-orange sparks to explore the chamber, with the intent to scan. 

His partner let out a snort at his words, then a giggle as Barry felt those arms wrap around his waist. "Okay, fine, you can come here whenever you want. Just hope we don't drown while here." 

"Not possible," Barry assured him. "Sure, the tub is deep enough but you, at least, are not at risk of drowning as you're still on top of me. Besides, Kyle is still around someplace." 

"Goes to show you who the favourite is, hmm?" Hartley kissed him on the side of the neck. "Seriously, though, why are we here? Everything looks and feels okay." 

"I thought I caught a slight sense of something earlier but I dunno," Barry shrugged. "Was too caught up with those Avians to be able to focus much, and Floyd certainly hasn't said anything. I wanted to check around, make sure everything here at the core is okay." 

Catching an alert, Barry wandered over to a small cluster of his sparks, where he found them hovering over a damaged spark. Reaching a hand out, he sent forth soothing energies. Soon, he was joined by the cleansing energies of his partner, and they both watched as the blue spark came back to life again, then headed over to its own cluster. 

Relieved that they saved a spark, Barry also felt the tension rise in Hartley. "What is it?" 

Hartley shook his head. "Nothing, just a memory spark." 

Before he could inquire any further, Barry found himself busy with more damaged sparks, bringing each back to full-strength again. The final one was the largest of them all and proved to be the most difficult. Curiosity got the better of him as he took a peek inside the memory. 

What he saw startled him and he lost his balance, watching the spark break free and dash off once it was fully cleansed. 

"Those ... those ... lost memories ... " Barry stammered. 

"Seems so," Hartley shrugged and wandered off toward the Orbs. 

Barry was puzzled over his friend's reaction, at how disinterested he seemed, like he didn't care. Standing back up, he zipped over to him. "Those were memories of when the Avians had you, from before we got to you. Not all your memories were lost. I only saw that last one but did any of the others ... " 

"NO!" Hartley snapped at him. "None of those memories contained who exactly brought me there. I only remember some of what happened, and that blasted Avian Commander which you saw." 

Barry winced at the tone and wrapped his arms around his partner. "At least some memories survived, horrible as they are, but beneficial in helping us figure out them damn birds. Plus, we now know those drugs were faulty, handled by an amateur at best. If someone professional had done the deed, not a single memory would have survived." 

"Fuck ... " Hartley cursed which caused Barry to wince more as he rarely ever heard his partner curse this strongly. "Why the fuck do these things keep happening to me?! Thought things were supposed to improve, not continue as they were. Fucking tired of this shit ... " 

Hartley had turned around and buried his face against Barry's chest, clutching tightly. All Barry could do was hold him tightly and continue sending over his warm energies. It was rare his partner broke down like this. It hurt him that Hartley still had so much pent-up anger inside, but sadly, not surprising. 

After some time had passed, and the trembling had subsided, Barry leaned down and kissed his partner. "We should probably head back out. There's nothing else here that requires our attention for the time being, all the damaged sparks have been restored." 

It was a full minute before Hartley collected himself enough and straightened up. "Right. Thank you for tending to the damaged ones." 

"Part of my duty as your Force Master," Barry grinned, lightening the mood. It had the intended effect of eliciting a giggle from his partner. Stretching his arm out, he then fed some of his energies into both Empath and Healing. While doing so, a thought came to mind. 

"Can you two Orbs work on our connection?" He felt a sense of interest from both Orbs. "I need to be able to sense you guys, sense Hart, at all times. Lately, there's these weird blockages occurring, like from earlier today. I need to find you during those blocks." 

The two Orbs conferred with one another then flooded him with a mix of their energies. He gained the sense that they will certainly work on a solution. 

"I should be able to come up with something in the meantime," Hartley said thoughtfully. "Calvin can certainly assist as he knows more about the different side of pulses than I do. I'll get Ray in on this as well as he's good with shields." 

"Good idea," Barry told him. "Will certainly help out for sure, but remember, even tech can get blocked. I'm hoping for a more natural solution, figure out a way that we won't be blocked off from our own Forces." 

"Maybe getting ourselves fully attuned with all our other Forces? I'm only properly attuned with you and Kyle so far, haven't had the chance to do so with Leonard yet. Maybe once we find our seventh member, we can have a meeting where we introduce all our Forces to one another, then maybe the connection will become even stronger, enough to hopefully cancel out all those scramblers." 

Barry liked the sound of that. "Definitely. Oh! I'm not sure if you were told yet but Calvin is ours. We'll do the proper attuning with Pulse when you're feeling stronger again." 

Hartley smiled. "That's a relief. I had a feeling about him for awhile but hadn't had a chance to check. Sounds like he relates to your Vibration. Guess all that's left is the actual Healing host." 

That brought another thought to mind. "What will happen to your Healing Orb once we find the Healing host?" 

"Hmm," Hartley thought that over for a moment. "Nothing should happen. Mine is only a secondary and is my own personal Healing. Whoever will awaken as our Healing Force bearer, that will become his primary and will have an Orb of his own. However, up in Gideon's chambers, whoever has Healing will take over the Healing room, seeing as my Empath chamber is accessible to me now." 

"That makes sense," Barry nodded, still not quite getting it. "We haven't visited Gideon in awhile. We should do so sometime, make sure she's okay." 

"Sure," Hartley agreed, taking Barry's hand. "For now, let's head back. Even though time flows differently here, I really don't want to spend all night in the tub." 

"Fine," Barry growled fondly. "Water is likely freezing cold by now anyway." 

Feeling a mixture of the blue and green energies fill him again, Barry grinned back at the Orbs before they faded from sight. 

* * * *

Stretching, Barry quickly realised that the water was still quite warm and only half the bubbles dissipated. Glancing up at the clock near the door, he saw that only ten minutes had passed; it really felt like hours. 

As always, it was another minute before Hartley came to. Barry wiggled a bit as his partner lazily stretched out, then grinned as he found entry, earning a squeak in the process. 

"Can you not wait for two minutes?" Hartley growled as Barry pulled him back to his chest. 

"Mmm, with you, never," he giggled into that still-damp ear. He then vibrated, and within moments, flooded that delectable ass. "Daaaaamn, you feel good. Been waiting all day for that." 

"Gaaaah, seriously?! You do realise you don't always need to wait for me, right?" Hartley panted at being filled up with both cock and cum. "Geeze, you can pull out now." 

"Was a bit busy earlier," Barry told him truthfully. "Plus, your ass will always be my favourite. I will always wait for your ass to be free." He provided two more vibrational rubs to the inside then pulled out, grinning at the fully hard cock bouncing in the water. "Want some help with that?" 

"Do I have a fucking choice?!" Hartley grunted as Barry wrapped his hand around it. "Go ahead, there's no bubbling danger this time." 

Music to his ears, Barry set to work and quickly brought Hartley off into a quivering orgasm, without the shockwave. 

"Gaaaaah, fine, okay, get me out of here," Hartley growled as his body settled back down again. Dutifully, Barry stood the both of them up, stepped out of the tub, and wrapped his partner up in one of those big, fluffy towels. 

"Mmm, you smell good," Barry told his beloved as they entered the main bedroom. He was standing behind his partner, nuzzling into that delicious neck, and was about to pull the towel away when the bedroom door slammed open. 

They both froze as a glaring pyro stomped over to them. "You woke me up," Mick growled, eyes completely focused on the speedster. 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked, unable to move under that penetrating stare. 

"Thought I made it clear earlier, no more shocks. Got 'nuf of that already." 

Barry sparked, fully realising what the angry pyro was referring it. "Hey, now, I wasn't the one that ... " 

"You was here?" Mick asked. 

"Uh ... " Barry blinked again. "Yeah?" 

"You da cause, as always." Mick reached out and grasped his arm, hauling him to the door. Glancing back, Barry saw a very flushed Hartley turning away. He then silently cursed his blasted partner for not backing him up in this. 

A moment later, Barry was flung down on Mick's bed. He rolled over to his back as the pyro shut the door. "You do realise that I don't have any sort of shockwave ability, right?" 

Mick snorted. "Sure you don't. Roll over." 

Barry sighed then rolled over. He quickly found his body heating up as the pyro laid down on top of him. 

"Mmm, good, we gotta talk," Mick told him while slotting himself fully inside. Barry sparked at the words, feeling every inch of that thick cock. "How's he doin'?" 

Exhaling as he relaxed again on the mattress, seeing as Mick wasn't moving at all, Barry thought that over for a moment, then sighed. "He's coming around. We regained a few of the memories from today but not the one revealing who took him. I cleared out his core, both Guardian Orbs are doing okay, all internal and external injuries have cleared up. However ... " Barry shrugged and heard the sigh from above him. 

"He's worried. Scared. Wondering why these keep happenin'. He's feeling more desperate, like time is running out." 

"Time running out for what?" Barry asked. 

"Dunno," Mick replied. "Only he would know the answer to that. We jes need ta be patient with him." 

"Hmm, maybe the increase in the Avian numbers has him on edge. They're certainly bothering me," Barry revealed. "I dunno, they just seem to be more active, while the regular Beasts seem to have settled down some. We took out a fair number today before dealing with that Beast across the bridge." 

Mick chuckled. "Some Beast, huh? Thought I'd never get rid of all dat tingling." 

Barry grinned as Mick began to move inside him. "Yeah, certainly gave me a really cool idea." 

"Oh?" 

Rather than explaining, Barry focused on his ass muscles, and began to tingle, receiving an immediate curse. 

"Oh ... Fuck," Mick growled. All too soon, the pyro unleashed into his ass. "Christ, Red, 'nuf of that." Barry giggled as the thick cock pulled out. "Fucking dickwad." 

"Mmm, felt good, huh?" Barry rolled onto his back. 

"Too damn good," Mick spat out. "Thinkin' of declarin' you a hazard." 

Barry rolled his eyes and "Oofed" as Mick fell on top of him again. 

"Still," Mick hummed and nipped his earlobe. "Really neat trick. I like it." 

Barry beamed as he felt Mick's warmth pour into him, and quickly found a new energy stream, along with some new sparks dancing around. Sighing happily, he relaxed further into the mattress as the pyro roamed his thick meaty hands over his body. He didn't know where it came from, but Barry mumbled out "Sage," which increased the energy flow between them. 

\----------------------------------------------

Tossing the towel in the hamper just inside the bathroom door, Hartley pulled on some clean pants and a shirt, then exited the bedroom. Only thing on his mind was to get some food. Aside from a small bite upon arriving home, he hadn't had anything at all since before work. 

Settling down at the table, he grasped the mug that Kyle had just placed in front of him, steaming hot, and smelling so good. He took a sip and leaned back fully, enjoying the taste of his special energy drink, full of honey and cinnamon, and other little tidbits that help his body to relax. 

It was a few minutes before he caught the sensation of eyes on him. Opening his own eyes again, Hartley peered into the icy blue ones of Leonard. "Uh ... " He blinked, having no idea what the boss could want. 

Glancing upward and to the side of the head, Hartley paled at seeing the gash. "CRAP!" Mug back on the table, the chair clattering behind him, Hartley pressed a palm to the gash, sending forth his healing energies. He sighed in relief when the gash proved to be minor. 

Leonard caught his wrist, interrupting the flow. "I'm fine, save your energies for the important stuff." 

"But ... " 

Leonard grasped his other wrist, preventing any further energy transfer. "Seriously, I'm fine. You need to replenish yourself and you can't do that very well if you keep expending yourself." 

Kyle set a plate down full of vegetables and pancakes. His stomach strained in its eagerness to be filled, and Hartley dutifully sat down again. Okay, sure, the combination was quite odd, but pancakes always did wonders to perk up his mood. The vegetables, tasty as they were, their true purpose was replenishing his energies. Kyle and Mick always made them a certain way that benefit his body most, however way that was. Hartley was more than willing to leave the cooking to them two. 

Once Hartley cleared half the plate and had picked up his mug again, Leonard spoke up again. "That was some shockwave." Pausing in his sip, he felt himself blush. Leonard continued, "Powerful as it was, it wasn't at full-strength. I could feel it had been weakened considerably." 

What could he possibly do but blush further and nod, hiding behind his mug? 

"Hmm, I'm thinking Barry had something to do with it," Leonard hazarded a very accurate guess which was also not quite fully the truth. Hartley kept his entire focus on his drink. 

"Mick can easily find out the truth of things," Leonard stated. "He has a ... unique way of interrogation." 

"Ah-huh," Hartley mumbled as he tried to nab the final drop in the mug that refused to come out. 

"In the meantime, you might want to consider some shielding on your bedroom, in case Barry gets out of control again, hmm?" 

"Ah ... " he peered back up into sparking purple eyes that seemed to twinkle. "Sure, I'll get right on that. Good idea, yeah." 

Leonard chuckled as Hartley went back to his plate. He was nearly finished when the building proximity alert sounded. 

"Christ, wait here," Leonard ordered him. 

With his fork still half-raised, Hartley watched as Leonard jumped up, unclipping his cold gun and retrieving a back-up gun on his way to the door. Kyle dutifully followed their boss, his own custom pieces at the ready. 

As curious as he was, he also knew that his energy levels were still far too depleted to be of any assistance. For some reason, Leonard's order left him compelled to remain right where he was, all thoughts of checking the surveillance cameras forgotten. 

\----------------------------------------------

Outside, Leonard heard a bestial roar and took a step back as he saw the fairly large Meta Beast in front of them. He raised his primary cold gun but it was quickly pushed down. 

"Wait," Kyle told him. "Look down." 

Gazing downward, Leonard saw three prone bodies on the ground beneath the Beast. He also saw four ARGUS agents arriving and trained their pistols upon the Beast. 

"Hold," Leonard told the ARGUS agents, noticing they were of the younger sort, likely rookies. One of them looked like he was uncertain about the order. 

A moment later, a gust of wind overcame them all as another Meta Beast arrived. Leonard recognised it as Gonzalez, watching as the large rodent nickered at the even bigger Beast. It was then that he recognised the Beast as the one that helped them with that shockwave Beast across the bridge, down near their airstrip. 

"At ease," Leonard told the ARGUS agents. "Those are ours." 

Having finished its conversation, Gonzalez came over and nickered at him. Scratching behind an ear, Leonard spoke soothingly, "Go on inside, he's awake." Gonzalez nuzzled his palm then zipped inside. 

"Since when are you keeping Meta Pets down here, Snart?" the eldest of the ARGUS agents asked, stepping closer, gun still trained on the remaining Beast. 

Leonard ignored him as he clipped both cold guns to his belt, following Kyle over to the Meta Beast. It wasn't as large as he first thought, standing only a head taller than the Hunter but was much thicker and broader in the shoulders, well muscled, with plenty of red-orange fur with dark markings. He also noticed the very sharp, yet well-cared for claws, the long tail, the pointy teeth as it growled at the ARGUS agents. It was also very much a tiger in anthro form. 

While his Hunter spoke soothingly to the tiger, Leonard inspected the three humans on the ground, none of which looked familiar. He glanced up at hearing the joyful tone coming from the Hunter, and the growly nickering from the Beast. 

"Says he found bad men," Kyle told him while gently getting the tiger to step off the bad men. 

"Any idea who they are?" Leonard asked, seeing that one of them was breathing. A rattling caught his attention and he turned back to the ARGUS agents. "Did I not tell you to put those guns away? I can assure you that this Beast won't harm you, provided you don't provoke him." Leonard sighed as it was another minute before the agents holstered their guns. 

Feeling a startled presence behind him, Leonard turned to find a very pale, very shocked Hartley, leaning up against Gonzalez for support. What was even stranger was how the tiger Beast turned in Hart's direction, emitting some soft growls. He was nearly overwhelmed by a flood of emotions pouring out of the Empath as Hartley rushed forward, hurling himself at the Beast, and was quickly wrapped up in those big furry arms, Gonzalez following protectively. 

"Uh ... " Leonard blinked at the display of intense emotion in front of them, completely baffled. 

"Hart is fine," Kyle assured him. "They have a lot of catching up to do." 

"Really?" Leonard couldn't help wonder what the hell kind of catching up those two needed to do, as the bizarre trio wandered down to the river nearby. 

"Really," Kyle beamed, clearly knowing something that Leonard had no idea about. "These are low-tiered Hunters," Kyle then revealed, inspecting each one. "Shoddy gear, rusted weapons, the cord on this one is frayed." Kyle examined the retractable cord and pocketed it. "They're alive. Various lacerations, bruises, nothing broken." Kyle stood up after pocketing a few more items, including wallets, and turned his gaze upon the eldest ARGUS agent. 

The eldest, Tanner, according to the name tag, paled and swallowed tightly. "Uh ... right. Let's get these bastards out of here." He snapped out the order to his three men, in an attempt to regain control of the situation. 

"Appreciate it," Leonard told them, nodding his thanks as he watched the ARGUS agents collect the Hunters, hauling them off to their van. Once they were gone, he turned his attention back to his own Hunter. "We clear?" 

Kyle mentally scanned the area before responding. "Yes, nobody else around." 

"Blast," Leonard cursed. "Good thing the new alarms work but they still got too close. Who the fuck are they?" 

Kyle examined their identification, recognising each name. "None of importance. Low-tiered Hunters that are among the bottom ranks for a reason. The kind that will accept any request for any fee." Reading a piece of paper he found, Kyle sighed. "Very amateur, they kept a copy of the request in their wallet. Very basic kill job, doesn't say who to kill, only to kill everyone. Address, Kill, Report when Done. Doesn't say who their client is." 

"The one that was sent here last time, was there a specific target?" Leonard remembered coming home that day to some intruder in his living room facing off against Kyle. 

"Barry," was all his Hunter said. 

"Christ," Leonard fumed. "What about Floyd?" 

Kyle understood, also remembering their departure day from Central City, when they headed off to Gotham. "Hart." 

Leonard nodded, figuring that was the reason for the cancelled job. "Conflict of interest, indeed," he muttered, recalling the Gotham Hunter's words. "Christ," he cursed again, turning his gaze toward the river. 

They stood there watching the trio for a few minutes, watching as Hartley healed up some unseen injuries to the tiger, talking all the while. They were too far away to hear any words, though, but Leonard could sense that their Empath was more than okay, perfectly safe. 

"Tiger?" he asked Kyle but once again, the Hunter refused to satisfy his curiosity, instead turning back to their building, beaming radiantly. 

Taking a final look, seeing Hartley settle himself down again, the furry arms wrapping around him, Gonzalez's head in his lap as his ears were scratched, Leonard smiled and followed Kyle back inside. Whatever their connection, whatever their history, he figured he'd find out soon enough. 

\----------------------------------------------

Barry came to alert soon as the alarms sounded but quickly relaxed once his senses told him that all was well. Whatever was happening, Leonard and Kyle had things perfectly under control, and he also sensed their Meta Beasts outside. 

He giggled as trickles of energy flowed over all his sensitive spots, gasping when his prostate was inspected quite thoroughly. He grunted as he spurted out another load. "Ease up, dude, or I'll have nothing left for later!" 

"Ya should ease up yerself, give the kid a break fer once," Mick tossed back. 

"I can assure you my dick is NOT up his ass 24/7," Barry growled as the pyro sucked him dry, cleaning him with his tongue. 

"Good," Mick chuckled after a minute. "Hate to see you two gettin' fried if ya showed up to work that way." 

Barry groaned at the thought of Captain Singh seeing them intertwined at work. "Not a mental image I needed, jerk." 

"Hrmmm," Mick pulled himself up and kissed Barry, letting him taste some of the load that lingered. "Ya taste good." 

Barry rolled his eyes and let out a snort, very much like how Hartley does it. Mick jammed his knee up against his balls in response. "Got sumtin ter say?" 

"Ahhhh ... " he winced then giggled at the kneading happening down there. He then felt a sudden blast of intense emotion, the kneading instantly stopping. 

"Bloody hell?" Mick cursed. He started to get up but Barry halted him. 

"Wait, that's Hart. He's still weak, shields not fully functioning. We're catching his overflow." 

"Da hell he so emotional about now?" Mick spoke softly, partially in awe, and Barry could understand why. The emotions they were feeling were full of surprise, familarity, warmth, intense love, followed by concern. 

Barry didn't quite understand it himself but he knew to which Beast all those emotions were directed at. "Remember the tiger?" Mick nodded. "It's out there with Gonzalez. Seems Hartley recognises it. Don't ask me how, where, or when, as I never once knew about any kind of friendship he had with any tigers." 

"It safe?" Mick growled. "It hauled my arse home, sure, but Is It Safe?" 

"Yes, definitely," Barry assured him. "The tiger is a friend of Gonzalez. I also gained a sense of intense protectiveness in the tiger. I can assure you, the tiger is okay." He giggled at the thought of making sure their own Beast was befriending other good Beasts, setting up playdates, and making sure they won't be a bad influence on their own precious human. 

"Good," Mick growled softly, still sounding concerned. Mick was very protective of his friends, especially toward Hartley, and hated the thought of anyone turning a nasty eye or thought toward any of them. That loyalty was one of the strongest that Barry has ever seen and felt, and is one of several reasons why he adored the pyro so much. 

"How's his flow?" 

Barry blinked at the sudden change in topic, taking a moment to realise to what Mick was referring to. "Ah, unpredictable at best," he told his partner truthfully. "No steady flow yet but it has begun, back in Gotham. Been dry since, until a little while ago. Back to dry again." 

"Figured," Mick nodded and sat up, stretching his arms. "Will take time for the flow to regulate, get back on a normal schedule. How long, who knows. It's enough to know that it started. Will he shockwave again?" 

Barry blinked rapidly, not believing that Mick really did know what happened. "Uh, maybe?" he shrugged, he really had no idea. "I know what to expect now, how he feels before it happens, so my shield will have more time to properly form with more energy rather than snapping up on instinct with less energy. Shouldn't be as strong next time, maybe." 

Mick chuckled as he stood up, pulling on a pair of pants. "Mebbe think about shieldin' yer room," came the suggestion, and a very good one at that. 

"Sure, I can mention it," Barry agreed, sitting up on the bed. "Mick?" 

The pyro had reached the door and turned back to him. "Yeah?" 

"If you knew, why the accusation?" Barry had puzzled over that, and really wanted to know Mick's thoughts. 

Mick chuckled. "More fun to storm in and drag yer naked ass in here. 'Sides, seeing Hart blush that deeply was quite rewarding." Mick headed back to the bed and cupped the side of Barry's face. "Truth is, needed ter talk to ya, get sumtin sorted out. We's attuned now, I feels yer sense. Hadn't had time on the weekend and I was gettin' antsy about getting 'er done." 

Barry sparked as the pyro sparked, feeling his energies mingle with his own. He sighed happily. "Damn glad you're mine." 

Mick laughed whole-heartedly. "Get in line, Red. Lenny owns me first." 

"And I own Lenny," Barry grinned. 

"Better not tell HIM that," Mick growled threateningly, then kissed him hard again. Pulling back, Mick spoke softly. "Glad yer here, kid. I mean that." With a gentle kiss to the forehead, Mick headed out of the room. 

Stretching lazily, Barry flopped back down on the mattress, letting his mind wander, feeling very much at ease, comfortable, safe, accepted, loved, chilled ... he shivered as he hauled a blanket over his damp body. He really should shower but he wanted a nap first. 

\----------------------------------------------

About an hour later, Barry yawned, stretched, rolled, and thudded to the floor. As usual, he wound up hopelessly tangled in the blanket, and never conscious enough to think about phasing through. After a few minutes of battle, "Aaaack!", he felt himself roll through the air as the blanket was untangled and tossed aside, with him thudding back to the floor again. 

"The hell is wrong with that blanket?!" Barry whined as he leaned back against the bed. 

"You wiggle too much," Kyle told him, tossing over a pair of pants. 

"I didn't wiggle in Gotham and I still got tangled when you pushed me," he growled, pulling on the pants. "Seriously, whatever you guys use, your sheets and blankets are haunted." 

Kyle beamed. "In Gotham, that was my doing. Here, right now, that was your doing." 

"YOU!!!" Barry accused, zipping in front of the Hunter. "Do you get off or something on watching me suffer?!" 

Kyle let out a laugh. "You amuse me," he told the speedster. 

"I can't believe you!!!" Barry whined again and flopped back down on the bed. He soon found Kyle hovering above him, smiling down at him. 

"Hmm, rather I torment you instead?" the Hunter spoke in a threateningly soft voice, still smiling, and Barry instantly turned hard. "Torment your body, or enjoy watching you suffer the linens, your choice." 

Barry couldn't help it but he giggled at the words, the Hunter's tone, how the misty tendrils infiltrated his pants bringing him right up to the edge. "Gaaaaaaah," he whined as those tendrils dissipated, leaving his cock in a constant, dripping twitch. "Get back here!" 

"Nope," Kyle turned back toward the door. "You need shower." 

Barry blinked, remembering that he should have showered before he fell asleep. He groaned, hard cock forgotten as Kyle reached the door. Before the Hunter could exit the room, Barry recalled something from earlier. "Kyle?" 

"Yes?" Kyle turned back around, back in serious Hunter mode. Barry momentarily marveled at how well Kyle could switch modes in a single second. 

"Ah, I wanted to thank you, for earlier ... " his voice trailed off, finding it difficult to discuss what happened during the Avian battle. 

Kyle approached and embraced him. "Part of my duty is to keep you, and the others, in line. As a Hunter, I take my duty seriously, taking measures to make sure none of you go out of control. In the event that you do, I have the means to stop each and every one of you. It's to protect you and the rest of us. With our combined skills and Forces, we have the necessary tools to put one back to rights again. Earlier, it was minor compared to what could have happened. You possess a lot of energy, and very strong emotions. I was able to catch you before your rage mode took over, get you back under my control again. I do have much stronger measures on hand, in the event I am not around when you get out of control, and it's awhile before I can get to you. Barry, you need not worry. I am here, as are the others. When you fall, it will never be far or for long." 

Barry sighed as he rested his head on the Hunter's shoulder. "Thank you," he replied softly. "I hate to think about what could have happened. I really don't understand how that happened except that I was frustrated for not being able to get to Hart. I've been frustrated before, but ... not quite like that." He shuddered. 

"I know what will make you feel better," Kyle told him soothingly as the trembles subsided. Barry peered up at him, inquiringly. "Shower, then head outside." 

"Uh ... " Barry straightened up as Kyle patted him and exited the bedroom. Taking another moment to collect himself, he proceeded with the first part of the orders. 

Five minutes later, dropping the barely used towel on the floor, Barry rummaged around and pulled on clean clothes, belatedly remembering that the dresser by the en-suite was his. He shrugged, thinking next time he might remember to look inside his dresser. For now, he was clean again and wearing comfortable clothing. 

Exiting the bedroom, Kyle handed him a bag with handles. "Take this with you," Kyle told him then ushered him toward the door, Barry phasing on his sneakers as he tripped over them. A moment later, the door shut behind him. 

"Huh," Barry puzzled. Opening the bag, he saw some drinks and cookies, energy bars and some actual food. Also some cloths and some electronic chips of sorts. "Huh," he repeated as he wandered down to the river where he caught Hartley's sense. 

As he got closer, Barry beamed, clearly recognising the Beast that assisted him near the airfield. When he was a few feet away, Gonzalez's head turned toward him and whooshed over; Barry dutifully scratched him behind the ear. Catching the sense of a sleepy Hart, he approached the tiger quietly, not wanting to startle them, not wanting to wake his precious partner. 

The tiger caught his scent and turned toward him, growled softly, a welcome. Barry smiled, letting loose some warm sparks. The tiger watched them curiously as Barry set the bag down. Kneeling, he placed a palm on Hartley's chest, sending over some comforting energies. Feeling pleased that his partner was perfectly fine, he peered back up at the tiger, a thought coming to mind. 

"Hart feels okay," Barry spoke tenderly. "Are you okay?" The tiger nodded, placing a paw over Barry's hand that was still on Hartley's chest. "May I look? Inside?" he asked as he placed his other hand over the large furry paw. Again, the tiger nodded. 

Pleased, Barry sent forth some of his soothing energies into the tiger as he peered inside. It wasn't long before he determined that everything looked normal inside. Turning his attention upward, he tapped into the mind of the tiger, and found a barrier, which didn't surprise him in the slightest, as it was a familiar barrier full of Hart's energies. Feeding his own energies into the barrier, he was granted entry. 

Barry didn't really see much but he did notice a few memories floating around. Taking a peek, they were mostly still images, rather than full motion memories. However, the images were more than enough to nauseate him, as they were from the time when the tiger was held captive with Hart, before the tiger turned into this form. One particular memory was the strongest, as it was the day of the tiger's release, the day a nice human came by, killed bad humans, released him, and took his human away. 

Pulling out, Barry found himself in a cold sweat along with a wide range of emotions coursing through him. He despised the bastards that captured his Hart and the tiger, what they done to his friends. He was grateful that Kyle had found them, and was kind enough to release the tiger. He was indebted to the tiger as the tiger protected his Hart as much as it could. Barry found he had very strong feelings for the tiger and would do anything to keep it safe. 

A fond snort caught his attention. "Sheesh, I take a nap and you already moved on." 

Barry grinned as he turned to face his precious partner, bending down to kiss him. "Hardly. You'll always be my favourite, despite you stealing my Beasts." 

"Your Beasts? Is that why Gonzalez keeps following me around? I seem to recall you giving him the order to stay with me. He's doing his duty quite well." Gonzalez nickered in agreement. 

Barry growled. "Oh, fine, you can keep the mouse, seeing as you're the only one that can properly communicate with it." Reaching over, he caught the large rodent, tickling behind his ears and sending over some soothing energies. Gonzalez blissed out, very much enjoying the attention. 

"What about this guy? He helped me earlier and a previous time. What makes you so special that you get to keep him?" Barry already knew the answer but he was far too curious to hear Hartley's explanation. He couldn't wait to tell Cisco how Hartley has two Meta Beasts on his team. 

"Uh ... " Hartley blushed at his intense glare. After a moment, Barry giggled as he really doesn't ever cause his partner to blush that much. "Jerk," Hart growled at him which caused Barry to laugh more. 

"Okay, okay, seriously, why's he so fond of you to the point where I feel like I'm becoming second best in this relationship?" Barry asked once he calmed down from the giggling. 

Hartley sighed and giggled as well, finding a groping hand on his crotch. "Will you stop that already?" 

"Mmm, not until you tell me," Barry told him as he lowered the zipper and popped the button. 

"If I recall, you still owe me information. So, spill." 

Crap! Barry had forgotten about that. "Seriously? I'm busy here and you want to TALK?!" 

Hartley snorted. "You started it. You tell me the info from earlier, maybe I'll tell you about this big furry beast that can snap you in half if he was convinced it's a good way to enjoy himself. I'm pretty good at convincing, which you very much know, hmm?" Hart's voice had dropped into a dangerous, threatening tone that always sent shivers through him, and not in a bad way at all. His own cock began dripping, which greatly pleased his blasted partner. 

Barry growled. "Oh fine, but only because I know you're damn good at following through on your threats!" Leaning in, he nibbled on an earlobe before whispering, "Kyle has done things with Mick plenty of times over the years, before Paris." 

Straightening up, Barry grinned in victory at the astonishment in those pretty green eyes. It was a few minutes before Hartley spoke. 

"Ah, now I understand," he nodded. "That explains the few times I was over when Len was tending to my injuries, Kyle and Mick supposedly going over the latest plans. It all makes sense now." 

"Man, all this time and it never once clicked in?" Barry asked, wondering just how dense his partner really was. 

"As stated, Len was tending to my injuries. I was pretty out of it most of the time when Kyle was around. The few times I was fully conscious when he was around, that was during Lewis' meetings when a heist was about to take place. Kyle never liked him, only hung around because of Len and Mick. I know Kyle was never alone with either one of them when Lewis was around, I believe Lewis suspected something and none of them wanted to arouse his suspicions. I didn't think too much about it as I was still a kid with problems of my own." Hartley shrugged. 

"You really don't know?" The words came out before Barry could stop himself as it was not his tale to share. "Nevermind," he interrupted Hart's incoming inquiry. "Tell me about this sexy beast of yours, hmm?" 

That did the trick of changing the topic drastically, with Hartley bursting out into laughter. "Okay, okay, fine I'll tell you," Hart panted, struggling to calm down. It was another few minutes before he was calmed down enough to collect his thoughts and tell him. 

Barry felt the tension in the air as his precious partner began speaking, softly. "Kishindo was with me during that time. I don't know how long he was there but I gained some scattered images suggesting that they acquired him when he was only a cub. When I was brought in, they thought to use him as another means to torture me, to scare me into doing whatever they wanted. They never knew that their plan hadn't worked. I'm not sure how but we somehow bonded, two captives being held against their will. We did what we needed to do to survive. When they weren't around, Kishindo kept me warm and cleaned my injuries, preventing infection. It's amazing the healing properties of a tiger's tongue. I would have died early on from the wounds if it weren't for him." 

Hartley paused, stroking the tiger's leg fondly as he settled himself more securely against the furry chest. "When the guards were around, it was a mutual, silent agreement that Kishindo would go into full tiger mode, with the slashing and growling. He was always easy on me but went full force on the guards. They never knew about Kishindo's true intent toward me. Anyway, he kept me alive. I wasn't able to do much except just be with him, let him take care of me. The only thing I could really do was figure out ways to get myself locked up with Kishindo, as they believed it was the worst punishment for me. I won't explain what I had to do, had to experience, just to get locked up. Just being with each other saved us both." 

"That was the sense I got, how he helped you," Barry revealed. "I knew I could trust him. He likely trusted me because he could smell your scent on me. What changed him into this?" 

"Uncertain. Whatever it was, it was not because of the Particle Accelerator that created the Meta Humans as I had first thought. This happened after we were rescued, a few months ago." 

"About the time when I encountered Land Shark and Drakon," Barry stated, reflecting back on having seen Meta Beasts for the very first time. 

"I then thought that maybe it was because of The Merging, but that event took place right before I was captured. Do you recall seeing anything weird before Land Shark and Drakon appeared?" 

Barry's mind was momentarily stuck trying to figure out what The Merging was but soon caught up to Hart's question. "Uh ... don't think so? Hmm ... " he thought that over for a moment before remembering something. "Huh, didn't Gideon say that memories can be better remembered with the assistance of Time?" 

Hartley sparked at the news. "Of course! That's likely how we're getting scattered images of memories. We can certainly get Len to help you think back a few months. As you stated before, you often see many things but don't take notice of them until the information is needed. Your brain has so much data stored inside that you don't even know what all exists in there. Len can certainly help sift through all that data." 

"Maybe once Kishindo is more comfortable around the others, Len could assist with searching through his memories?" 

The soft growls caught both their attentions as they peered up at the large Beast. It was a moment before Hartley translated. "He already trusts Kyle and he knows Len won't hurt him, based on how he got the ARGUS agents to stand down. He already likes Mick's scent and was pleased to help bring him home. He already adores you but I'm still his favourite." Hartley grinned. 

"Somehow I think you added that last part," Barry growled. "How come you get all the cool Beasts?" 

"Hmm, two Orbs, remember?" Hartley scratched behind Gonzalez's ear when the rodent came within range. 

"Mmm, Force Master, remember?" Barry captured Gonzalez's other ear, giggling as the rodent flopped onto its back in pure-bliss mode. 

"And who's higher rank on the planet than the Hunters?" Hartley challenged him. 

"Victor," Barry told him. 

"So by your reasoning, my Beasts should belong to Victor?" 

"Wait ... what?" Barry was completely baffled. 

"Honestly," Hartley laughed. "Do your duty as Force Master and hand over that bag. I'm starving." 

"Oh!" Barry turned to grasp the bag, settling it on the ground between them. 

For the next hour, they devoured the entire contents as they chatted, discovering that Kishindo liked the cookies and the chicken pieces, and Gonzalez was ecstatic to try everything, finding Barry's energy bars to be the tastiest. It was full dark when Barry yawned. 

"We probably should get back," Hartley stated while standing up, assisted by Kishindo. He wobbled a bit before finding his balance. Barry scrambled to his feet and wrapped his arms around him, feeding his partner some of his much-needed energies. 

"Mmm, think it's time I remind you just who you really belong to," Barry spoke fondly, feeling the reaction he was hoping for, as Hartley's back melded into his chest, and seeing a familiar twitch. 

"Fine, whatever," Hartley dismissed the comment as he turned his attention back to the Beasts, not once tugging out of Barry's embrace. "You two going to hang around here or head back to the Grove?" 

Gonzalez nickered, Kishindo growled in agreement. 

"Okay, stay safe over there," Hartley told them. "The moment you sense something weird, Gonzalez, you come straight here and Barry will follow you back over while I gather up our friends. Understand?" 

"Oh! That reminds me!" Barry interrupted as he hauled out some chips. "Kyle had these in the bag." 

Hartley inspected the chips. "Ah, trackers, a bit more enhanced than the one Gonzalez already has. These are also sensors to help warn them of any nearby hostility. The second chip is actually a sonar chip." 

"Wait ... like a bat chip? To gain visual of the surroundings through vibrations?" 

Hartley's eyes lit up. "I am incredibly amazed you know that. Yes, that's exactly what sonar is, and adeptly named, as these chips were created at the Manor. The sonar, bat chip, will provide us with a visual whenever we check in." 

"Hunter chips won't get scrambled as they don't exist," Barry whistled. 

"Another special bonus," Hartley beamed. "Looks like there's a pair for each of them." Speaking to the Beasts, "Do you guys understand what we were talking about? These chips?" Hartley held his palm out with the chips on display. Kishindo inspected them, Gonzalez nickered. 

"Barry, I should mention that even though you can't quite understand what they're saying, they understand us perfectly, provided we don't speak too fast or use too many difficult words. Even if you can't understand their words, you can at least gain the sense of their emotions due to our connection." 

Barry nodded. "It's true. I do know how they're feeling. Right now, Kishindo is thinking about a blanket he found in the Lair with your scent on it, and Gonzalez is looking forward to a long sleep." 

"What?" Hartley snapped his full attention over to Barry. "I don't recall ever leaving a blanket over there." 

"It's foremost on his mind," Barry told him. "Well, second thing on his mind as he wants you to hurry up and insert the chips so they can get home." He giggled as Hartley glowered at him before turning back to the Beasts. 

"I'll need your help as I don't exactly have the ability to phase," Hartley told him as Kishindo knelt down in front of them. 

"Always so helpless without me," Barry said fondly, as he watched Hartley search for the best places to insert the chips. 

"Hmm, other way around. You can't function when I'm not around. How does this spot feel?" Hartley was feeling around a furry ear, poking at a spot inside the upper chamber. "Chip will go beneath the skin so will not affect your hearing." Kishindo growled an assent. 

Dutifully, Barry retrieved the chip Hartley held out to him and placed his fingers where Hart's were. Sending over a mixture of soothing and healing energies, he phased the chip into place. "How's that feel?" 

Kishindo tilted his head, shook his head, rotated his head, flicked his ears, and grinned a toothy grin, growling softly. 

"Feels good, no feel it," Hartley translated. 

"Same spot, other ear?" Barry inquired as he felt around the next ear. Kishindo's nod was all he needed, and the second chip was quickly inserted. "There you go. Make sure you keep those chips a secret, okay? Nobody can ever know about them, except for us and our closest friends, the ones that you like." Kishindo growled in agreement as he stood up, making way for Gonzalez. 

Gonzalez nickered and flicked both ears, clearly wanting the chips in the same spots. Barry happily consented to the rodent's wishes, inserting each chip delicately, along with the soothing healing energies. 

"Alright, you two get home, it's late," Hartley told the Beasts. With a final hug and more ear scritches, they watched the Beasts head off toward the bridge, and their Grove. 

"Why do I get the feeling that we just sent our kids home for the night?" Barry said thoughtfully. 

Hartley finished collecting the trash before responding. "It's because they ARE ours. They're as devoted to us as we are to them. Right?" 

Barry pulled his partner in for a kiss. "Right." 

Together, they headed back up to the building, both lost in their own thoughts regarding their Beasts and the Grove, coming to the same conclusion that they had best get out to the Grove really soon. 

\----------------------------------------------

He flung the damp towel away, seething. Why he kept getting saddled with incompetent help, he had no idea. The voltage, the drugs, the time frames, all wrong! He was assured that the rodent was fully blocked off from his energies. 

The Prime Commander certainly wasn't at fault. It was those that handled the equipment that needed to be punished. Unfortunately, that deed was taken away from him as the rodent killed them all. Thankfully, the Prime Commander survived, only receiving a mild concussion that knocked him unconscious. 

He had no idea what became of the two implants as he wasn't picking them up on his scanner at all. Likely destroyed from when the pests arrived to collect their rodent. He had sent out three Hunters to scout out the area, set up some sensors, but they were long overdue in checking in, and no sensors had been placed. 

Growling, he decided to step up his game, take more things on himself. He'll just have to talk to the rodent directly, in a more normal setting. Hopefully the rodent doesn't remember much of what happened. 

Pulling up the video feed, he was quite pleased with the Prime Commander's interest in his idea. All was going fairly well when the Avian entered the room, until that energy blast. He will never tire of the scene where his Prime Commander was above the rodent. His own cock twitched remembering all the times he had been beneath that magnificent creature. 

Sooner they get the rodent locked away someplace, the better their chances of getting their talons on the real prize. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kishindo is based off of a character I created years ago, an anthro saber tiger that uses a crossbow and boomerangs. Obviously, this is not the version that made it into this story but there are similarities, like the name. This Kishindo is more normal tiger colours and is not of the saber variety, except for maybe his claws. This Kishindo is also fire-breathing as revealed in this chapter, and can put up a good fight. He is also extremely loyal and protective.
> 
> Due to the emergence of Kishindo in this form, it is no longer believed that the Particle Accelerator had anything to do with the creation of the Meta Beasts, at least, not the one that created all our Meta Humans, like Flash and Mist. Their creation is still a mystery. Still, it's pretty cool to be able to bring this character into my story, and been planning his introduction ever since I was creating notes for Hartley's big abduction. Well, he was already introduced in that first Abduction Memory but that was before his transformation.
> 
> In a world full of Meta Beasts, there has to be a few friendlies, right? Now we have two Meta Beasts as part of the team. But wait ... what of all those fireball kittens? That's a mystery for another time.
> 
> Once again, thank you for checking out my story! As always, feel free to leave comments, inquiries, or whatever is on your mind, either here or over on Twitter: @GaoRyuki . My DM box is always open.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the latest abduction, senses are malfunctioning, an emergency repair is needed. A pair of officers are more than what they seem, Captain Singh is his growly self, and why can't a speedster have just five minutes?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very long time in coming, Chapter 15 is finally here. Apologies for the delay, was purely unintentional. Health problems cropped up and various other things. Now that I'm back on track again, updates will be more regular, a chapter every week or two. I have five more chapters planned for Part 1 before the Side Stories begin, then Part 2 will follow. So much planned for you guys!
> 
> I've been needing to do a chapter like this for awhile now. We've had some Force Network explanations scattered throughout, but we needed a chapter where everything comes together, and is better explained. Even at that, I feel it's lacking but it's better than what we had before in terms of explanations. If any of you are still feeling hopelessly lost, feel free to comment and I will do my best to explain.
> 
> This chapter also contains the second ever POV of our Doctor Rob. This time we get to view the Doc in his natural habitat. :-)
> 
> Without further adieu, get your pencils out, notebooks at the ready, class is now in session!
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Childhood memories near the end, a young boy being brutalised by a street gang. I tried not to go too graphic here but there's enough to fuel the imagination.

**\-- Force Play 101 --**   


In full battle-gear, he entered their dwelling easily, despite not having a key nor taking the time to knock. Leather jacket creaking with the weight of all its weaponry, he kicked off his boots, leaving them in the vicinity of the mat. Paying no mind to the occupant on the sofa, coffee mug half-raised to those cool lips, laptop computer on the table, he headed for the largest bedroom straight ahead. He did pause momentarily, inhaling a delectable apple scent from the kitchen, then turned his focus back to the task at hand. 

Without knocking, he entered the bedroom, closing the door gently behind him. The sight before him was one he expected: his Hunter brother reading while watching over the two sleeping forms. 

"How is it that a King size bed always manages to see one side completely void of all contact?" Floyd grinned, referring to the empty right-side of the bed. 

"My side is comforting and soothing," Kyle told him. "When in physical contact like this, my energies are constantly flowing into Hart, helps him sleep, keep the nightmares away." 

"And what of this one?" he tapped the speedster on the ass. 

Kyle snorted. "He sleeps wherever he feels like it. He claims to sleep better knowing that Hart is under him." Kyle then smiled fondly. "I feel Barry's energies flowing into Hart as well, always keeping watch." 

"Mmm, sounds like Sparky is doing his proper duty in keeping watch over you guys, especially our boy." Floyd spoke softly as he ran a hand over Barry's back, sending over a tiny trickle of his own energies to scan the speedster. 

"Indeed, he is," Kyle said, watching as Floyd sent a trickle of energy into the sleeping Hart as well. "Hart is foremost on his mind. When Hart is well, then Barry might remember to check in on the rest of us but he is usually sleeping during those time. Still, even when asleep, Hart is still on Barry's mind." 

Floyd chuckled, immensely grateful that Barry was dedicated to keeping their Hart safe. "How Hart wound up as part of the Speed Force Network, and under the guardianship of the most pure-hearted soul I have ever known, is a mystery I hope to never solve. Part of me wishes he was in my Network, but it pleases me that Sparky is watching out for him." 

"I don't think any Network can handle two full-trained Empaths," Kyle commented, placing his book on the night stand. 

"You certainly read a lot," Floyd observed. "Even on the Jet and out at the Manor, you were often reading." 

"Helps to pass the time when my charge is asleep. I do not require much sleep so I am always watching over him when he is at his most vulnerable. As well as learning, reading help inspire me when out on the battlefield and coming up with designs for new gear." 

"What exactly are you learning from Dragon Riders of Pern?" Floyd asked, picking up the book in question. 

"How to care for young, dangerous creatures, and how to be patient with those creatures that cannot speak our language. I also like dragons and the books are very much enjoyable." 

"You and your critters," Floyd spoke fondly. "Likely how you grew attached to Sparky here, before your Force was revealed." 

Kyle smiled as he gently freed himself from the sleeping bodies and stood up. "Very much so. That and his pure heart and his loyalty to Hart." 

"The three traits that attract us most," Floyd beamed. Kyle always had a fascination with cute critters, especially those who appear vulnerable and helpless. It always delighted the Central Hunter when the critter displays such courage during times of need. Being able to assist one who needed it, especially one with a pure-heart, and dedicated to keeping others safe, are all traits the three Hunters value most in their allies. Well, anyone who devotes so much time toward Hartley is always one to watch, then fully researched, and quickly determined as to their intentions toward the young Empath. Most wind up dead but Floyd has certainly found a few that were more than worthy to be around his precious Hart. 

"I'll watch over them for a bit," Floyd told his Hunter brother. "Vic wants to go over the latest Avian intel with you and Lenny." 

When Kyle left the room, Floyd sat on the right side of the bed, cross-legged, watching the two still sound asleep. He was awed when Hartley adjusted himself, rolling over onto his back, without dislodging Barry at all, nor moving him a single inch. The only movement from the speedster was snuggling in closer once Hartley settled again. 

Viewing the results from the scans, he saw that Barry was doing alright, nothing amiss within, energies flowing normally. However, Hartley's scan came up empty, no data whatsoever. That bothered Floyd. 

Reflecting back to the day of the Avian attack, Floyd recalled how deathly Hartley appeared. Seeing Hart in such a state scared him, especially when he saw those dark energy blasts knocking Avians out of the sky. What really worried him was how cold Hart felt when he got to him, and not just his body either. Whatever those drugs were, whatever the combination, shattered Hart on the inside which caused temporary memory loss. Outwardly, the young Empath looked relatively okay, aside from some scratches and bruising, nothing that the Healing powers couldn't fix. Internally, however, that was where all the real damage was done, all of it mental. Floyd was able to do a patch-up job and chase off those dark energies, but it wasn't enough to prevent his precious Hart from going unconscious ... his heart had even stopped for three unbearable minutes. 

Paling at the memory, Floyd shook them off, once again grateful that Barry had been there to bring Hartley back from the darkest depths of internal hell. 

Reaching into his side pouch, just inside his jacket, Floyd pulled out some of his newest bands. Humming to himself, he neatly attached each one to the sleeping speedster's wrists and ankles. Tapping a button on the small control unit, the bands sparked to life. 

"Gaaaaaaaaah!" 

As expected, Central City's finest hero toppled off the bed, thudding to the floor while sparking erratically. Grinning, Floyd turned his gaze to the pretty green eyes glaring daggers at him. 

"Oh, good! You're awake," Floyd spoke smoothly, resting a palm on the other's chest. "It's just after 10:00, don't you need to be at work soon?" Moving his fingers, he kneaded into the bare skin, watching his energy flow into the other, mentally wincing at how they flickered out. Outwardly, he remained calm, as if nothing was wrong. 

Hartley caught his wrist and twisted it out of reach of his chest, and Floyd automatically adjusted to lace his fingers in with those delicate ones. "Mmm, feisty today, you know how much I like that." 

Hartley sighed and sat up. "What do you want?" He automatically winced at his own question, Floyd knowing all too well how loaded that question was. 

Naturally, he responded his usual way. "Oh, many things. Fame, fortune, intellect, a best-selling novel, your ass, just to name a few." He snickered as Hartley shoved him away, ignored his comments, and headed for the ensuite, closing the door over. Within moments, Floyd heard the shower running. 

Scooting over to the other side of the bed, Floyd watched amusingly as Barry writhed around on the floor with failed attempts at getting the new electric bands off. 

"Won't come off so easily, Sparky," Floyd told him. 

"Fucking bastard," Barry hissed while pulling a foot up to try and feel for a trigger on the bottom edge of a wrist band. Which was a good idea seeing as previous Hunter bands required a press along both the top and bottom edges of the bands in order to pop open, and not from the same hand either. In other words, you can't use your right hand to press the hidden release on both the top and bottom of the left band at the same time. 

However, these were not like the other bands. "Hell these made of?!" Barry whined. 

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Floyd laughed as he got up off the bed and headed for the ensuite. Nudging the door open, he stepped inside and stood casually against the wall the tub was nestled against. He was just out of the mirror's reflection, but had a perfect view of the large shower in the corner and its occupant. 

Focusing on the lower back, Floyd inwardly winced at the still darkened skin. Majority of the injuries had already healed but for some reason, that particular spot was always the last to heal. It was when Hartley stepped out of the shower that Floyd noticed the other dark spot on the inner right thigh. Studying the damp body as Hartley grabbed a towel and wandered over to the double sinks, Floyd was relieved at seeing no other dark areas. 

He moved forward without even thinking about it, his entire focus on the dark patch on the lower back. Reaching out, he placed a palm on that dark patch which was nearly as big as his hand. What he hadn't expected was for Hartley to flinch, his skin suddenly breaking out into a sweat. 

"Hell you doing?!" Hart growled at him, twisting out of his grasp, and breathing quite heavily. Odd. 

Floyd was worried. "I've been here the entire time," he said quietly, eyes on those dark green ones. 

Hartley was clearly agitated as he turned back around to tend to his usual after-shower routine. "A little warning next time might help, or maybe even some privacy," he growled out as he shook the tube of lotion, then tossed it into the garbage can. "Honestly," he sighed while running his fingers through his damp hair. 

Floyd felt the irritation through their personal connection, watching the empty tube get tossed into the can, the towel into the hamper as Hartley headed back toward the bedroom. Floyd also sensed that Hart forgot he was even there. His suspicion was confirmed when he reached out and grabbed Hart's arm, the other blinking up at him in confusion. 

"You always know when I'm nearby." A statement, not an inquiry. 

"Uh ..." Those green eyes continued looking dark and confused. 

Floyd sighed and tapped the dark spots on the thigh and lower back. "What's with these? They're not healing right." 

Hartley shrugged. "They always take longer to heal. No big deal." 

Floyd pinched the bridge of his nose, calming himself. "It IS a big deal and you know it," he snapped at his friend. "Tell me or I'll pull that information out of you. Out of all the methods you know I can do, I'm sure you can figure out which one I'll use on you, hmm?" 

"Fine," Hartley growled, shaking his arm free and sitting down on the stool near the tub. He grabbed the small lotion tube that was laying on the edge and focused on his feet while collecting his thoughts. It was a few minutes before Floyd realised he had started speaking again, ever so quietly, as if he had forgotten that Floyd was in the room with him. 

"Brand marks. Only once on the thigh but multiple times on the lower back. Skin had been burned off so many times that not even our combined healing can ever repair the damage fully. The thigh will clear up in a few more days but will still appear to be a dark tan. The lower back, along the right side, will always look dark-red at its healthiest, easy to bruise, always sensitive. The brands have long since been removed thanks to Kyle. Barry likely didn't notice them during our healing sessions, or at least, didn't associate the dark patches as brand related. He never asked." Hartley fell silent again as he switched over to his left leg with the lotion. 

Floyd watched him for a few minutes in silence, absorbing the new information. He had known Hart was subjected to abuse way too many times to count over the years, especially during that latest big abduction, but nobody ever knew just how badly he had been brutalised. Every one of them that encountered Hart off and on over the years had only seen small portions of his life, a bruise here, a scar there, a broken bone or two, the minor stuff. Hartley never liked discussing any of it with anyone. Barry and Kyle are the two that likely know the most but even their knowledge is only the tip of the iceberg. Floyd's own knowledge pales in comparison to the other two. 

"When?" Floyd asked once the now-empty tube was tossed into the can, watching as Hartley stood up and stretched. 

"During the past year, some of it," Hartley told him while rummaging through a drawer. 

Floyd paled at that, watching as the blue tube made its appearance. Grabbing the tube, Floyd released some of the soothing gel and slowly applied it to the lower back. "Some?" 

Hartley sighed as the muscles started to relax. "Yeah. Started when I was a kid, blame it on the father figures in my life. Started small, minor, but over time they grew in intensity and size. Lewis even got me twice, intending to 'improve' on what was already there, wanted to mark me as his. At the time I thought it was just a gang mark but eventually realised that none of the others had the mark." He shrugged again as Floyd turned him around and applied the cooling gel to the thigh. 

"That one occurred near the end," Hartley spoke again, referring to the patch on his thigh. "Hence it was easiest to be removed and cleared up." 

"Smaller, too," Floyd noted as he stood back up, tossing the tube onto the counter. "Does Leonard know?" Knowing that Lewis had done some things to Hartley made his blood broil. If Kyle hadn't already killed the bastard, Floyd certainly would have. 

Hartley shook his head. "No. Nobody knows." 

Of course. "Okay, I know the prick is dead but I gotta know ... has Lewis ever raped you?" 

As expected, Hartley flinched at the word and looked away. "Not specifically but he ordered some of his men to do so while he watched, instructing them. Len never knew as it was during the times I stopped by and he and Mick were out on business. Figure it wasn't important enough to tell him as I didn't want to risk them getting into trouble as well." 

"Of course, you never spoke up," Floyd growled softly. "Listen, the more you keep things to yourself, the greater the chance of getting yourself killed." 

"The few times I did speak up, I've been beaten to near death too many times to count, hospitalised more than a dozen times, and was in multiple comas for starters. That was before my thirteenth birthday." Hartley snapped at him, his eyes darkening even more. 

Floyd didn't bother to hide his disgust and pain at those words. To have such things done to a youngster, he really wished he had met Hartley sooner in life than he had. 

Hartley continued in a softer tone but still sounding detached. "I appreciate your concern but all that happened in the past. I'm over it. I'm also better able to protect myself and get out of such situations. It's done and over with." 

"Fine," Floyd growled. "But I'm not done with you yet." Hartley had just begun to walk off when Floyd pulled him back. "Your senses are malfunctioning." 

"Likely still some drugs lingering," Hartley shrugged again. "I'm sure they'll wear off soon." 

The detached attitude is really starting to bug him. "I'm still gonna take a look inside." Before Hartley could protest or step away again, Floyd pressed his hand to Hart's chest and just as he started to look inward ... 

\----------------------------------------------

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" 

Zipping into the ensuite, the echo of the bands hitting the floor behind him, Barry neatly caught Floyd before he slammed into the shower stall across the room. Dropping him to the floor with a thud, he turned his attention to his blue-sparking partner spasming on the floor. 

"The hell happened?!" Barry growled as he pressed his hands down on Hartley's chest. He didn't even get a chance to scan Hart when all the blue sparks gathered together and ... and ... 

He was suddenly slammed into the wall nearest the door, completely enveloped by the blue sparks. The warm sparks, familiar, agitated, panicked, pained. 

"Don't fight it," Floyd gasped out. "Embrace it like you would Hart." 

Barry could barely make out Floyd's words, not grasping their meaning, due to the fuzziness in his ears but he sensed he needed to do something that only he could do. Opening himself up, he let the blue energies mingle with his own, doing his best to calm it down, noticing some cracks of sorts during his scan. Releasing his own healing energies, he felt the blue energies shudder and relax, embracing him tighter. 

"What happened?" 

Blinking, Barry gazed through the blue haze and thought he could make out Leonard standing in the doorway, two versions of Kyle materialised a second later. He shook his head but his vision blurred. Closing his eyes, his ears cleared up. 

"He was acting weird," Floyd began. "His senses were malfunctioning, couldn't feel my presence at all. Even started forgetting I was here even when we were talking. He figured it was some lingering drug effects. I went to check and got blasted away. Empath is out of control." 

Empath. That was it. That's what he's holding. How the heck could Empath leave a person's body, Barry had absolutely no idea. He embraced Empath just as tightly as Empath was embracing him, feeding Empath all his warm, soothing energies, exactly how he would comfort Hartley. 

"Are you telling me that Empath has left Hartley?!" Definitely Leonard's very cold and growling voice. 

"I ... don't know how it happened, or what happened," Floyd said. "I have never seen or heard of this happening before. None of the data from my own studies has mentioned anything of this sort happening. It should be fine, I think. Barry is taking care of Empath. I'll check Hart again, I should be able to access him now." 

A few moments of tense silence later, Floyd sighed. "He's stopped spasming for now but still shuddering. Inside is a mess, Healing is cracked and I see some dark energies mixed in with it." Barry paled at that news as Floyd continued. "I can only repair Empath, not Healing. I can feed some energy to Healing but not with those strands of darkness mixed in. None of us can fix Healing, only a true Healer can." 

"Isn't there _anything_ we can do?" Len sounded more worried than Barry has ever heard him before. 

"Barry is doing the only thing he can do right now, looking after Empath until we get Hartley fixed up. What is needed most is to find your Healing Force Bearer. Sooner the better." 

"How?" Leonard again, speaking so quietly. Barry let his senses wander and felt how tense Len was feeling and really scared, which in turn scared him as Barry had never felt Len feeling so helpless and lost before. 

"I know Vic can sense other Force users and see the Energy Network within a person's body like I and Hartley can. Kyle, are you able to do that as well?" 

"Yes," Kyle replied instantly. "Not as strongly as Hart as still new to doing so." 

"Good enough," Floyd stated. "Grab that tech kid of yours, his frequency is similar to yours so he'll be able to boost your Force sense. You and Vic will need to go hunting for your Healer. I don't care about explanations, just go up to every person you encounter and scan them. If there's no Network, move on to the next, and the next. Don't even stop to apologise. We need to find this Healer ASAP." 

Barry didn't hear a reply but he felt the two brothers immediately leave the room. Repairing the cracks and strengthening some weakened areas of Empath, he felt Len approach Floyd and Hartley. 

"What should I do?" Len asked. 

"I think you already know," Floyd told him. "You're already sparking purple so flood him." 

"What about you?" 

"I'm not actually a part of your Network. Normally, I can access Hart anytime I want but with Empath outside of him and Healing damaged, I'm doing too much damage to myself just by scanning him, like I'm constantly being attacked. Even just sitting here, not touching him, I'm being stabbed. You should be fine, though." 

Blinking his eyes open, looking through the blue haze, Barry saw his partner's body being bathed in purple energies. A thought came to mind. "Time freeze." 

"What?" Len turned his head toward him, Floyd nodded. 

"It's a good idea," Floyd said. "If you can freeze Time around him, you can prevent the damage from spreading, possibly even freezing Healing in place. At the very least, he can stop shuddering which I know is damaging his muscles." 

"Right," Leonard returned his focus to Hartley and directed his Time energies inward with the intent of putting his friend into stasis. 

"Empath sleepy," Barry commented quite some time later. "Calm, warm, healed. Wants to go back." 

"Soon," Floyd yawned, leaning up against the cupboards beneath the double sinks. "Gotta wait for Healer ..." Words trailing off, Barry sensed him drifting off to sleep. Scanning further, he sensed Leonard still sending over his Time energies, but struggling. He had no idea how long they've been waiting. He really hoped Kyle would return soon. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Where's your kid?" 

Scanning the main area of the precinct, Kyle didn't see the kid in question. He didn't sense him either on this floor. "Likely upstairs," he told his brother. 

"Right, may as well start here," Victor replied, heading over to the copier corner where Kyle could see Kenneth and one of the other officers, Johnston if he recalls the name correctly. Good guy, quiet, he really hadn't encountered Johnston much. 

Heading upstairs, Kyle found the Lab locked which didn't deter him at all. Misting through the door, he approached the tiny form sound asleep at Hart's desk. He let out a rare smile at having found his target, and at how much like both Barry and Hart he was. 

"Hey, Kyle, what brings you here? Not due until tomorrow, right?" 

Turning, he saw Jackson sitting in Barry's chair with his feet up on the desk, tapping away at his cell phone, not even looking up. 

"Something came up," Kyle told him, watching the startled look appear on Jackson's face, the cell phone dropping, legs hitting the floor. 

Jackson scrambled to his feet and approached him. "Is Hart okay?" 

Kyle shook his head. "Need our Healer." 

"Damn," Jackson hissed. "Finding a member of a Force Network isn't easy. Where's Barry?" 

Kyle tilted his head at that Force Network comment. He always suspected something unique about his officer friend but hadn't had a chance to follow up on his suspicions, or even mention it to Hart as he had planned. "Barry is fine, with Hart, but unable to do anything. Empath is out." 

"How is that even possible?" Jackson went over to Calvin and tapped the youngster on the head. Calvin's head snapped up, eyes sparking. "Far as I can understand, once an Orb appears in a Force Bearer, it's stuck there until the host body dies, becomes corrupted, or consumed by that parasitic network. Orbs don't just go out on field trips." 

"May I?" Kyle approached Jackson with his sparking hand outstretched. He was gaining a lot of new sense from Jackson now that Calvin was awake with his eyes sparking amber. 

"Hmm," Jackson looked at him skeptically, sighed, and gave off his goofy grin. "Go ahead, do what you need to do. Just, don't tell Kenny or he'll create new holes in your ass with his gun." 

Kyle's eyes blinked at the comment and grinned. "He can try," he said, greatly amused. He really enjoyed having both Kenneth and Jackson around. 

Placing his palm on Jackson's chest, Kyle peered inward, grateful that Hart had taught him how to do so. He knew what to look for as he shifted his vision, and quickly found a brilliant blue energy network. Sending over some of his own energies, he felt curiosity, recognition, acceptance, but not the deeper feelings of connection. 

Pulling back out, Kyle shook his head. "You're part of a Network but not our Network. You're familiar but not a Healer." 

"How many Networks are there?" Calvin spoke up for the first time as he placed his own hand on Jackson. "I don't see it." 

"Uncertain," Kyle informed them. "We are only aware of three different Networks at this time. How is it that you already have some knowledge?" That question was directed at Jackson. 

"Dunno, just kinda came to me," Jackson shrugged. "Been feeling something with Kenny for years but it seemed minor. We decided to start hanging out, then joined the Academy together, and here we are. The feeling became more active over the summer, steadily growing." 

"Same," Calvin nodded. "It was when Hart started coming around again." 

"Hmm, he does have a catalytic aura about him, causing things to happen and affecting those around him. Hart is likely the spark that awakened our Forces. Plus, he sure made things livelier around here, right Cal?" Jackson grinned, nudging his younger friend in the arm. 

Calvin giggled, slightly blushing at the same time, which Kyle noticed all too well, along with the mischievous glint in Jackson's eyes. He turned toward the door before his two friends noticed the hint of a smile on his own face. 

"NIMBUS!!!" 

Calvin jumped at the tone that roared up the stairs. "Cripes, better go see what Cap wants or he'll lock you in a cage." 

"I doubt there'd be any cage that can hold Kyle," Jackson giggled as they left the Lab and headed downstairs. 

"Dampener cage?" Calvin suggested. 

"Hmm, good thought," Jackson paused to think that over. "Do dampeners work on Force users or just Metas? They would definitely knock out his Meta powers but he should still have access to the Force side of things." 

"Hmm, I wonder if Hart tested that out yet. Kyle?" 

"Hmm?" Kyle turned to look down into the normal violet eyes. Calvin really was much shorter than him by several inches. 

Before he could respond, Captain Singh came over. "Nimbus, mind telling me what the hell your brother is doing tapping my crew and why the hell Kenneth is letting him do it?" 

"Search," Kyle told him, not the least bit bothered by the stern glare or harsh tone. 

"For what?!" Captain Singh crossed his arms, glaring way up at him. The Captain was just slightly taller than Calvin but by no means was he incompetent. Captain Singh was one of very few people that Kyle has complete trust in especially in the law enforcement field. 

Before he could answer the Captain's question, Victor came over and tapped the Captain in the chest. "Got something," Vic announced. 

Ignoring the Captain's confusion, Kyle pressed a sparking hand to his chest and peered inside. He found the blue energy network easily but it wasn't as powerful as the network inside himself, Hart, Jackson, and the others. Sending in some of his own energies, he felt what he needed to feel. 

Pulling back out, Kyle nodded. "Minor Network but ours." 

"What's a Minor Network?" Calvin asked. 

It was Kenneth that replied as he came over, bumping shoulders with Jackson. "Minor Network as in a minor assist network. Each Network is made up of 7 members, 3 prime and 4 support. In addition to that main network, there's a minor support network of allies. They don't have the energy strength that we do but they have enough to be able to assist in whatever way they can and can also provide an energy boost if we need it." 

"Oh! I'm one," the CSI known as Gagne joined in on the conversation. "Hart discovered it but Barry hasn't gotten a chance to fully check me out yet. I'm definitely part of their Network." 

"Knew you'd be one," Jackson told his partner, Kenneth. 

"You guys main or minor?" Gagne asked. 

"Main," both Jackson and Kenneth replied at the same time. Kenneth continued, "Vic tapped me first, very blue, very strong. Resonated perfectly with him. Johnston has nothing, nobody else currently here has anything. You?" He turned his gaze toward Jackson. 

Jackson shrugged. "Same as you but didn't get the resonation with Kyle, only the familiarity and acceptance." 

Victor tapped Jackson on the chest, holding his palm there longer than he had the others. A moment later, Victor whistled. "Prime. You're mine." 

Kenneth snorted. "Seriously?! Why the bloody hell does Jacks get a Prime and I'm one of the four Support?" 

Victor ignored him, Jackson giggled maniacally, Calvin blinked in confusion, and Kyle watched over them fondly. Gagne was also beaming with the news while Captain Singh had turned around mumbling, "Why me?!" sounding quite exasperated. 

Intrigued, catching a sense of something, Kyle followed him back to his office, watching as the Captain hauled out his cell phone. Upon entering the office, he was welcomed by a soft meow from the awakened Cleo on the desk. Reaching his hand out, Cleo sniffed him and caressed her cheek in the centre of his palm, purring softly. 

Upon hearing the purr, Captain Singh turned around and glared at him. 

"Nimbus! What the hell you doing in my office?" 

Kyle paid no mind to the words nor the tone, instead snatching the cell phone out of the Captain's hands. 

\----------------------------------------------

Scribbling some notes down on his clipboard, Rob lightly yawned as he stretched his neck muscles. Glancing up at the clock, he realised it was nearly the lunch hour. The morning had been busy; so busy that it flew by quickly. 

His morning check-ins completed, Rob entered his office to check his schedule for the afternoon. No surgeries were scheduled but he does have an appointment with the chatty, growling, insufferable Mr Jennings who's always complaining that there are aliens inside his head. Rob has told the elderly gentleman many times that his expertise is performing surgeries on the brain, and he was by no means a Psychiatrist, but Mr Jennings kept insisting he felt comfortable with Rob and there was no way he was going to see some quack shrink. 

Shaking his head, Rob sighed, not really wanting to deal with Mr Jennings today. He got up at his usual time 6:00 am with an unsettled feeling in his gut, and arrived at the hospital around 7:30. The feeling hadn't gone away while he was making his rounds; in fact, the feeling had steadily gotten worse. 

He was glancing at the slightly altered colour of his hand when his assistant popped her head in the door. 

"Doctor, don't forget you have the meeting at Noon in the boardroom." 

Rob startled at the news and glanced back up at the clock 11:55. "Now?! Didn't we just have a meeting yesterday?" Standing up, he quickly straightened his desk and found some items he needed, which he shoved into his bag. "What's it about this time?" 

His assistant, Cheri, looked down at her clipboard. Pretty thing, fresh out of Medical School, engaged to a lawyer, always soft-spoken and incredibly helpful. He was lucky to be assigned to Cheri as her mentor. 

"Um, that was last week when they went over the new Safety Codes. Today is the Importance of Clean Surgical Tools." She looked back up and stepped aside so he could exit the office. 

"Why do they always schedule these during the lunch break?" Rob muttered. 

"They could schedule during a surgery. Would you like me to make the suggestion?" Cheri's eyes sparkled. 

"Yes!" Rob turned to her and clasped her hands. "Schedule during a surgery so I can prioritize the surgery over such a mundanely boring meeting! Thank you, Cheri. You are totally the best!" 

"Anything for you, Doctor Rob, within reason of course," Cheri giggled. "You better go or you'll be late. Clock's ticking!" 

"So not gonna make it," Rob growled as he dashed off. He had about 30 seconds to get there on time. 

Skidding to a halt outside the boardroom, he quickly straightened his attire and ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to flatten it. His hair had a habit of going awry when he's hurrying. He really should invest in some gel or something but Cleo has a habit of sneezing when around such things. It's bad enough he has to keep the feline out of the bathroom during shower time when the shampoo and body wash bottles were in full use. Thankfully, Jitters doesn't have such an allergy. 

Entering the room, Rob saw seven others taking their seats, ranging from surgical assistants to in-house caregivers, and a veteran surgeon that specialises in removing cancerous tissues. Nodding to each of them, he grabbed the nearest available chair and sat down. 

The bad feeling in his gut grew even stronger just as the guy from the Worker's Compensation Board started speaking about the importance of cleanliness of both body and equipment. They couldn't quite fit it into last week's Safety meeting as it had been interrupted due to a custodian ogling one of the new nurses and tripped over his mop bucket and accidently slammed his head against the fire alarm. Naturally, that prompted an update to all the fire alarms so they can't be accidently set off. That was just completed yesterday. 

Five gruelingly long minutes into the meeting, Rob felt the vibration from his cell phone. Ignoring the glare from the Speaker, he hauled it out to see that it was David calling. 

"Apologies, one moment," Rob spoke to the others as he stepped outside of the room, hitting the Answer button. "What's up?" 

" ... you doing in my office?!" he heard his fiancé's growling tone. Rob grinned at the much-needed interruption, leaning up against the wall to wait for David to finish with whomever he was currently threatening. He ignored the stabbing pain in his gut as a voice came over the line. However, it wasn't one he was expecting. 

"You busy?" He couldn't be certain but it sounded a lot like Nimbus. 

"Nah, meeting," Rob told him. "Everything okay?" 

"No," came the quick reply. "Be right there." 

Rob hadn't a chance to reply before the call ended. He had no idea why the Hunter would be coming here but he certainly had a bad feeling about it. He dialed his assistant as he stepped back into the boardroom. 

"Apologies, got an emergency," Rob told them as he dashed back out again. 

Cheri picked up her phone and Rob didn't give her a chance to say hello. "Cheri, cancel my afternoon appointments. An emergency came up, I'm out the door now." 

"Oh, I'm sure Mr Jennings will be quite disappointed," Cheri giggled. "Go. I'll take care of things here. I hope everything turns out okay." 

"Me too," Rob sighed as he stepped outside. "See you tomorrow." He hung up just as a black car screeched to a halt beside him. 

"Get in!" 

Dutifully, Rob followed that order barked at him by the one that looked liked Nimbus but he knew it wasn't Nimbus. He hadn't had a chance to buckle his seatbelt before the car roared out of the Hospital lot. 

"What's happening?" Rob sensed that there was something dreadfully wrong, especially when the not-Nimbus guy turned around in the passenger seat and pressed a palm heavily to his chest. 

"Hart," Nimbus replied as he aimed the car in the direction of STAR Labs. Rob knew that Hartley often stayed with Snart down by the river, south of the Labs. 

"He's it," the other one declared. "Definitely not mine so must be yours." 

"English please?" Rob growled, hating not knowing what's going on except for the fact that it has something to do with Hartley. 

"Oh! This is Vic, that's Doctor Rob, David's guy. Hart needs you right now." 

"Okay then," Rob said as he settled back in his seat again, glad to know that this other guy is Nimbus' brother. He is, right? "Brother?" 

It was Victor that answered. "Yes, elder." 

Nimbus let out a rare snort as he easily found impossible openings in the traffic that was slowly inching along. "Only by three minutes." 

Ah, twins are fun, Rob mused. "What's the diagnosis?" he asked, getting back to business. 

"Empath is out, Healing is cracked. Need you to repair Healing." Nimbus took a sharp right turn, heading down to Snart's place. 

Okay, he can heal people, he's a doctor, but what these guys are suggesting is something he has never dealt with before. "Uh, guys? Wouldn't Barry be the better option to heal the Healing?" To any other person, that would sound so weird, but Rob knew these guys and has some knowledge about their Force powers and how they work. 

"Barry's handling Empath and the only other person that can do any actual healing to Healing Forces is Hart himself but he's out of commission right now. You're it." Nimbus stopped the car when they reached their destination and hopped out. 

Stepping out of the car once the door was swung open, Rob watched as Nimbus pressed a palm to his chest and smiled, which was odd as he doesn't ever recall the Hunter smiling before. 

"Beautiful, strong, active," Nimbus stated as he turned toward the building. "Come." 

Following the Hunter with the other at his back, Rob's thoughts turned toward the building. He could never figure out what to call a place that once was a warehouse and turned into a home. It certainly wasn't like any normal house or dwelling he has ever seen. 

Entering, and kicking off his shoes by the door, Rob followed Nimbus to the largest bedroom straight ahead. Gazing around the room, he marveled at all the pieces of tech and equipment lining the shelves and walls. He glanced down when he felt his foot kick something, noticing it was a band of some sort. 

"Here." Nimbus' single word brought Rob back to attention as he hurried into the ensuite that had an odd purple hue to it. 

His heart nearly stopped at the scene before him. Hartley was prone on the floor covered in a purple shield of sorts, Leonard holding Hart in some sort of stasis. Barry is off to the side enveloped in a brilliant blue energy cloud or something, and a slumped over guy by the sinks. He's pretty sure that's the other Hunter from Gotham, Floyd. 

As Victor went over to Floyd, Rob approached his prone friend, studying the body as he knelt down. "How's he doing?" 

Leonard shook his head, the sweat pouring off heavily. "Stasis, all I can do right now." 

Rob nodded then glanced up at Nimbus as the other approached. He knew he had to help and if these guys believe he can do what they need him to do, then he'll most certainly do his best. Hartley had been a huge help to both Rob and David back when they first started dating a few years ago. They value his friendship a great deal and would do anything to help keep him strong. 

"Follow my path," Nimbus spoke up while pressing a palm to Hartley's chest. "Place your hand on mine, I will guide you inside." 

"Uh, right," Rob replied as he rested his own hand on top of Nimbus'. Even though he was a doctor, Rob had to admit he really had no idea what's happening or why he felt scared to death. No amount of training had prepared him for this newest venture into the unknown. 

Feeling his heartbeat slow, he watched as Nimbus' energies flowed through his palm and up his arm, feeling his own energies awaken at the touch. He was mesmerised by how the mingling energies flowed downward and into Hart. Exhaling, Rob closed his eyes and felt himself drift. 

* * * *

Blinking, he gazed around at the darkness ... no, more like a mixture of dark blue and green. 

"This way." 

He turned at the tone, finding Nimbus heading down the left corridor (was it even a corridor?). Hurrying, he caught up within a few seconds, just as a barrier shimmered and allowed them passage. 

Neither of them spoke as they passed through the next two barriers, then stopped at the final. 

"Palm," Nimbus instructed while placing his own palm on the Empath barrier, feeding it his energies. After a moment of watching, Rob did the same, and immediately felt overwhelmed by an immediate acceptance. The barrier quickly admitted them entry. 

Stepping into the chamber, Rob froze in complete awe, feeling enraptured by the energies flowing through the room. He saw so many sparks dashing around which caused him to wince as he could sense their agitation. Their movements were not smooth, instead being erratic, harsh, and pained. 

"You're feeling it," Nimbus stated, resting a hand on his arm. 

Rob swallowed the dry lump in his throat as he nodded. "They're hurting." 

He followed Nimbus over to the source of the chaos, feeling his own eyes widen at the sheer size of the glowing green energy ball. Peering closer, he saw the jagged black energies swirling around. 

"Healing Orb," Nimbus began. "It is Hart's secondary Force but is powerful enough to be an Orb of its own. You have one as well, and in time, will become stronger than this one as Healing is your primary Force." 

Reaching his arm out, Rob felt his own energies swirl and trail down his arm toward the damaged Healing Orb. "Is it normal for one to have two Orbs?" 

"No. To our knowledge, this is a first in history." 

Rob had always known Hartley to be a powerful individual, even at his most vulnerable. But that was in terms of his skills, personality, heart, loyalty. It wasn't until this very moment, feeling the strength of Healing and the surrounding sparks, that he fully understood just how powerful his friend truly was. He could only imagine just how much more powerful Hart will become once Empath is back in its proper place. 

Getting the hang of feeding his energies into the Orb, Rob increased the amount. His doctor instincts kicked in as he directed a strand toward a cluster of the dark energies. He soon discovered that he couldn't quite tackle the darkness directly, so he began herding them instead, toward a lightened area that Nimbus created. 

Time flows at a different rate while inside the Orb Chamber. Rob had no idea how long they were there while he herded the last strand of dark energy toward the others. Pulling out of the Orb, he panted while Nimbus increased the barrier around the dark energies and gently tugged them outside the Orb. 

"Now what?" Rob ran his arm across his sweaty forehead, then mentally chuckled at the absurdity as he realised he wasn't physically here. 

"You focus on Healing, I will dispose of this," Nimbus told him, indicating the box-like container. 

Rob watched for a moment as the Hunter headed off, a thought coming to mind. "How? How will you dispose of it? Do you even know how?" 

Nimbus half-turned, peering back at him. "Yes. Done so many times. The means of disposal is unimportant. Just know that this batch will never cause harm again." With that, Nimbus exited the chamber. 

Rob shuddered at the knowledge that his friend has had such dark energies before, many times, and felt immensely grateful that Nimbus knew how to dispose of such foul energies. Shaking his head, he switched back to his own task, peering up at the pulsing green Orb. 

Reaching out again, he let his energies flow into the Orb, scanning, repairing, strengthening every place he could reach. It didn't matter to him if he drained himself dry as his precious friend needed his energies most. 

* * * *

What seemed like hours later, Rob pulled back out into the physical realm and felt himself fall backward in exhaustion. His vision was blurry, his hearing fuzzy, and he had no idea the identity of the floating head above him. He did feel himself grin as he felt a familiar hand clutching his ankle, relieved that his friend was okay. 

Closing his eyes, he drifted into a peaceful slumber. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Slowly, slowly, not too much," the voice instructed as he slowly regained consciousness. He had no idea what was going on but he relaxed at feeling familiar energies ... his energies, entering him. 

Wait ... why would his own energies be feeding into him? 

Snapping his eyes open, Hartley sat up all-too-quickly, his hand clutching an ankle as the dizziness swirled before him. It was a moment before he realised that it was Rob's ankle he was digging his nails into. "Wha ... " 

"Easy, I got you," Kyle spoke softly from behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist. "Lean back, nearly done." 

Doing as instructed, Hartley let himself melt into his Hunter's chest, his eyes half-lidding as he took in the blue swirling energies surrounding them. He was about to say something when he felt an annoyingly familiar finger press against his lips. 

"Now, Rath, keep quiet until Sparky fills you up proper. Don't want to break his concentration, hmm?" 

Redirecting his glare, Hartley softened at seeing his partner surrounded by a blue aura, watching as the energy stream flowed back into his body. He warmed up when Barry smiled at him, melting further into Kyle's embrace. 

Closing his eyes, he let his senses roam, feeling every presence in the room, every ounce of energy floating around. He instantly recognised those of his friends, and felt new ones as well. The new ones felt comforting, warm, accepting, and he gained a strong sense of loyalty coming out of each of them. The strongest of the new energies came from Rob, instantly feeling the connection with his own Healing. He always had a feeling about Rob and was pleased to have his friend as part of their Network. 

Hartley still had no idea what just happened but he felt safe amongst his friends. Soon, he found himself embraced tightly by his favourite limbs and felt himself drift off to sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Stepping out of the shower, Hartley dried off quickly as he entered the bedroom. Glancing at the bed, he realised it was empty, wondering where Barry and Kyle could be. Draining the glass on his nightstand, feeling more rejuvenated, he pulled on some cotton sweatpants and exited the room. He was feeling quite famished. 

Inhaling the freshly steamed scent of vegetables and noodles, he sat himself down at the table, across from a sleepy Doctor Rob who seemed to be analysing the brussel sprout on his fork a little too skeptically. 

Picking up his own fork, Hartley dug into his own plate that Kyle had just placed in front of him. After a few bites, he shook his head in amusement as Rob was still scrutinizing that same brussel sprout. 

"It's not going to get any greener the longer you stare at it," he told his friend. 

Rob sighed, shaking off the brussel sprout in favour of a piece of broccoli. "I've always pondered why everyone insists we need to eat the greens. Aside from the peas straight from the garden, I have never taken a fancy to any of the other green stuff." 

"Have you actually tried any on your plate or were you just staring at them this whole time?" A good question seeing as Rob's plate seemed nearly full, whereas his own plate already has a quarter of the contents gone. He smiled at Rob's sigh, watching as the broccoli fell from the fork in favour of an orange carrot, which was quickly devoured. 

"Just so you know, the greens on your plate are excellent for replenishing Healing energies. Kyle and Mick have perfected the art of cooking ingredients that suit specific energies. I rarely eat anything that they haven't made." 

Focusing back on his own plate, Hartley let his words sink into the newest Healing Force bearer. He was nearly done eating when he saw Rob pop a brussel sprout in his mouth. He smiled at seeing more greens follow and soon enough, Rob's plate was completely empty. 

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Hartley grinned at seeing the green twinkle in Rob's normally soft brown eyes. 

A thud from the main seating area caught his attention as he turned his gaze toward the chaos he had tuned out completely when he exited the bedroom. The thud was quickly followed by the whining of his partner, as he watched him attempt to untangle himself from the whiteboard that was set up ... well, that was now laying on the floor tangled up in the speedster's legs. 

"Honestly," came the exasperated sigh from across the table, causing Hartley to grin at the familiar word and tone. "Is he always this ... uh ... active?" Rob had waved his fork trying to find a term that didn't sound so negative. 

"Nah, Barry's usually more hyper than this," Hartley told him, standing up from the table, ignoring the stunned look in his friend's eyes. "It's all the energies of the Speed Force flowing through his body, has to get rid of the excess somehow." 

Leaving Rob to ponder over that explanation, he made his way over to the others, wincing as the whiteboard snapped around Barry's leg again. 

"This board was definitely made by a piranha!" 

Hartley also noticed how nobody else was making the effort to assist the speedster. Unsurprising, as this was highly entertaining. "You do remember how to phase, hmm?" 

"HART! Save me! Those jerks won't help," Barry whined. 

"Hmm, I dunno," Hartley crouched down to examine the Piranha Board. He grasped one of the wooden legs of the board and peered into the eyes of his partner. "You'll owe me big-time, you know." 

"Oh, gods, anything! Just get this board away from me!" 

"Honestly," he shook his head in amusement as he pulled the board open to release the speedy limb, then righted the board as he stood up. 

Tuning out the banter from behind him, Hartley studied the board and picked up a marker. There were lots of circles and letters and squiggly lines that no sane person would be able to decipher. Luckily for him, he knew Barry best and understood perfectly what his partner was trying to convey. Turning the letters into words, attaching the circles in their proper groups, he made a few notes of his own before turning around to face the audience. 

Audience was certainly the word as there were eleven in the room, twelve counting himself, scattered on the chairs, the sofa, and the floor. And all of them had their eyes glued to him. Totally not awkward at all. He sighed outwardly, feeling quite pleased inwardly. 

"Okay," he began, then paused at how attentive everyone was, barely even breathing. Glancing around, he caught Floyd's smirk, and immediately felt annoyed. "FLOYD!" Hartley snapped at him, his tone breaking whatever trance Floyd put the others in. 

"Excellent, you figured it out!" Floyd beamed at him as everyone else shook their heads to clear them. "Another bonus to being an Empath is being able to hold an audience's attention." 

"Not against their damn will, Floyd!" Hartley growled, then quickly calmed down as he realised the benefit to that skill. "Still, would come in handy during a riot or a chaotic scene full of panicky people, help to calm them down. Interesting." 

Calvin spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. "What all can an Empath do? I mean, it's all about emotions, right?" 

"Excellent question, squirt, and one I'd be more than ... " 

Kenneth, who was sitting closest to Floyd, grabbed him by the back of his belt as Floyd started to stand up, pulling him back down into the chair and did something that left the Gotham Hunter wiggling and glaring daggers at him. 

"Kenneth?" Hartley inquired of the smirking officer. 

"Seems like something I can do, restraining others," the officer replied. "Can also affect their voice, render them speechless. Carry on, I'll keep an eye on this prick." 

Hartley beamed, not hiding his amazement at all. He hadn't gotten the details yet, but it appears that both Kenneth and Jackson were also Force Bearers. He was quite pleased with that, as he was feeling something incoming for awhile now, some sort of event, that he knew that they needed to prepare for, gain all the allies they can to help protect the citizens of Central City. 

Collecting his thoughts, he turned back to Calvin's question. "Floyd has had access to his Empath abilities far longer than I have, with mine only awakening a few weeks ago in Gotham, but has grown substantially since then. It's quite likely my Empath is stronger than Floyd's now." He smirked as Floyd rolled his eyes. 

"As for the abilities of an Empath, I imagine it's different for each Empath but the core element is the same: Emotions. We are fueled by emotions and can use those emotions to impact the lives of others, whether for the greater good or in a destructive way. There are Passive Empaths who naturally have a calming effect surrounding them, an aura, that affect everyone they pass by. Positively, Negatively, it depends on how the Empath is feeling at the time. If a Passive Empath passes by an outdoor café and they are feeling angry, you can expect some breakups or divorces amongst the couples sitting at the tables. That's only if the Empath has no training and no shielding. However, seeing as Empaths in general are quite rare, it's not something for any of us to worry about at this time." 

Hartley continued, catching Calvin's unspoken question. "I'm a pure Projective Empath, the rarest of all Empaths. I can more easily control my emotions than any of the others, and project them outward to directly affect those around me. The other Empaths can only affect others in an indirect manner, and only lightly, like small nudges of the air that can alert someone to any surrounding danger, as that pocket of air is filled with foreboding. What I can do is alert someone directly to the danger, by implanting a thought, or seizing control of their body to pull them away from the danger. I don't even need to be nearby to do that, so long as I have the target in visual range." 

"Have you ... " Calvin trailed off, uncertain as to how to ask the question that Hartley had discussed with Floyd back in Gotham. 

"No, not yet," Hartley informed him truthfully. "That doesn't mean that I won't ever do it. Depends on the situation, what's happening at the time. Knowing that I'm able to pull you away from a collapsing building in such a manner actually makes me relieved. It's much faster than running up to you myself and physically pulling you away." 

He watched as Calvin blinked his sparking amber eyes, thoughtfully going over the information. Hartley continued, "Essentially, an Empath has the ability to affect, control, manipulate others through their emotions. Each type of Empath has a different means to convey their emotions. In the case of a Projective Empath, we use sound waves, such as the tone of our voice, a tune by whistling or an instrument. When projecting our emotions, we can make the target feel whatever we want them to feel; happy, sad, angry, etc. We can then manipulate their actions through those emotions, directing them to do whatever we want them to do. It's through those emotions that we gain access to a person's body, turning them into a puppet. I can assure all of you that this is not a skill I plan to abuse," he added, noticing the concerned looks in many sets of eyes. 

"Yes, I said I don't plan to abuse, but I cannot promise you that I won't use it," Hartley stated knowing that he needed to be fully honest. "Anyway, a Projective Empath really shines at their ability to control a rampaging crowd, to calm people down during a crisis, help restore order to chaos. However, the real hidden special trait is being able to heal a person's mind. Just like Rob is able to heal the physical body, I can heal the mentality, the heart, the soul. When Barry is in a panicky state, I can calm him down easily just by being with him. If he's having a nightmare, I can send over the soothing energies to chase them away and help him sleep easier. I can also sense when something is on his mind that he's having difficulties grasping. I can feel his emotions, his mindset, and can catch a panic attack before it takes hold." 

"Part of my duty as your Empath," Hartley put emphasis into his next words to make sure everyone catches his true meaning, "is to scan each of you on a regular basis to make sure you're in your proper mindset, that you're not being tampered with by some outside source. Each of us has an Energy Network which I can see perfectly, and I can make sure each of you is functioning properly, make repairs and adjustments as necessary to allow proper flow." 

"So, basically, you're the glue and duct tape kind of guy that holds everyone together?" Jackson with that question which caused him to smile. 

"Essentially, yes," Hartley told him. "It's true, that combined with my Healing, I have the power to rain destruction on Central City, and cause damage to our Earth, but I also have the power to help others. I can promise you all that I'm not the destructive type of person, despite my upbringing. I value each and every one of you, and I swear to keep you all sane enough to live happy lives." 

"What's Floyd?" Calvin asked. 

Hartley snorted. "Floyd is more the Passive Aggressive Chaotic type of Empath who just happens to also be Projective. He's a mixed bag so his Projections are nowhere near as strong as mine." 

"Only because of your Healing that's powerful enough to have an Orb of its own, you puny git," Floyd growled, breaking free of Kenneth's restraints. He stood up and approached Hartley, with his signature smirk. "Now then, why don't I take over from here so you can rest that cute mouth of yours for later, hmm?" 

Unsurprisingly, Floyd licked his lips seductively, which prompted Barry to tackle the annoying dick. Hartley rolled his eyes and sighed as he stepped lightly away while the two rolled off. 

"Chaotic is right," Calvin giggled. "He's certainly good at relaxing a room, erasing the tension and uncertainties." 

Hartley blinked at the truth in those words, impressed that the young tech had picked up on the real truth behind Floyd Lawton so easily. 

"Exactly true, Cal," Hartley beamed. "Now then, I think I better move on to explaining about our Force Networks. I'm sure you have a lot of questions based on whatever Barry attempted to tell you so I highly suggest you set those questions aside and completely forget what Barry has said." 

"Three main, four support, right?" Jackson again with the question, really focused on the discussion thus far. 

"Exactly. Each Network is comprised of seven members, all working in harmony toward a singular goal ... or goals ... I haven't figured that part out yet but each member is part of a theme. Speed Force Network, for example, each of us has one aspect of the Speed Force as our Force energy. Speed, Empath, Pulse are the three Primary, with the Supports being Healing, Time, Sage, Distortion. Barry is our Force Master as he contains all of our abilities and so much more. As each of us awakened, his powers grew. Once we're all properly attuned with him, he will become far stronger than he is right now." 

"Hah, try to get out of this, Sparky," Floyd cackled from behind him, causing Hartley to facepalm. His all-powerful Force Master falling victim to a mediocre Force Bearer from another Network. 

As if reading his thoughts, Mick spoke up next, the ever-quiet Mick who prefer to listen than speak his mind. "Nuttin to worry about, we's all know Red's heart and how strong he is. Sure, he has difficulty battling his way out of a paper bag, but when he has reason to, the bag is shredded without a thought." 

"Truth," Kenneth nodded. "We know Barry runs on heart and he's the most loyal and trustworthy person we have ever known. Well, you're pretty much his equal in those categories." Kenneth grinned which warmed Hartley completely. Living the life he did, he still found it difficult to hear such pure acceptance toward him. Being an Empath, he found he craved the purity and all the warm feelings from his friends, feeling more energised and light-hearted. 

Surroundings really do affect one's well-being. Hartley blinked at that realisation, everything clicking into place. The reason why his Empath hadn't emerged growing up, the reason why Healing had been subdued for too many years, the reason why he was so full of darkness. It was all because ... because ... 

"Hart? Wake up!" 

"Huh?" Snapping his eyes open, he found Rob standing in front of him, hands on his shoulders. 

"You were mumbling, spaced out, then nothing," Rob told him. 

"It happens more often than you think, Doc," Leonard spoke as he came up to them. "Sometimes the past sneaks up on him and some memories become active, along with the struggle of trying to remember some forgotten ones that have been blocked. Right?" Leonard peered intently into his own eyes. 

"Uh, yeah, sorry, nothing to worry about," Hartley not-so-successfully assured Rob. 

"Sit, I'll take it from here," Leonard told him. Hartley smiled tiredly at his friend as Rob led him to the vacant spot on the couch. Both Calvin and Jackson leaned into him, securing him in place. 

"Now then, ignoring the chaos from those two idiots," Leonard indicated Floyd and Barry that had rolled over toward Mick's bedroom, "Let's move right along, shall we?" He glanced at the whiteboard to collect his thoughts. 

Feeling the warmth and comfort of the two energies closest to him, Hartley found himself tuning everyone out as his breathing slowed and he drifted off to sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Seeing Hart drift off to sleep, Leonard softened his voice so as not to disturb his Empath. He knew Hart came to some sort of enlightenment due to the overwhelmingly positive energy that flowed through the room, but as to what exactly Hart realised, he had no idea. Whatever it was, it was good and very much needed. 

"We have two different Force Networks in this room. Our Speed Force, plus whatever Network you guys are," he directed the comment at Kenneth, Jackson and Victor. 

"Justice," Victor supplied. "In the sense of Law Enforcement. Bruce Wayne is our Force Master. Our three Primary are Bruce, Floyd, and Jackson. Support are myself, Kenneth, Jim Gordon and we have yet to discover our final member. As for what each of us has: Bruce is Justice, Floyd Empath, Jim Gordon is Order, and I have Truth. Kenneth and Jackson are new to us and have yet to attune with Bruce, so we cannot be certain at this time as to what exactly they have. Kenneth has some sort of restraining ability, and Jackson has the uncanny ability to know things that he couldn't have known." 

"Certainly follows a theme," Leonard mused. "Speed Force Network is centred around Barry as he has access to the Speed Force. However, his Speed came from the Particle Accelerator explosion, like how all the other Meta Humans obtained their powers. It is still unclear to us as to how his Meta powers differ from his Force powers. There doesn't seem to be any line separating the two. What we do know for certain is that each of us specialises in one aspect of the Speed Force. We all know that Barry is fueled by his heart and emotions, which is what Hartley's greatest strength is as an Empath. While Barry is focused on the battle at hand, we can ease some of his burden by focusing on our own Forces. He has all these abilities, I imagine it's difficult to keep each one up at full strength at all times. Being able to dash around, think, plan, react, attack, heal and making sure he doesn't get stuck while phasing through objects. With each of us becoming strong in our own individual Forces, Barry can lessen his attention on those while he focuses more on the ones he need most." 

Leonard sighed at sensing some confusion. "Let's put it this way. You're all familiar with how Barry can phase through objects, walls, and such, right?" Relief, everyone nodded. "Good. There was a time when Barry had to actively think about phasing, getting his body to the proper frequency, matching that of the object he needs to phase through. Imagine doing that while a fire-breathing dragon is right behind you, lighting your ass on fire. At the same time, you gotta make sure your speed doesn't decrease, you're actively dodging the flames, you're actively scanning your surroundings, and that wall you need to phase through is fast approaching. That's a massive strain on your senses and your body." 

Good, everyone is keeping up, Leonard thought, as he scanned the captive audience. "When Kyle came into his Force, Distortion, and properly attuned, Barry no longer needs to think about phasing as it's now instinctual. For that matter, with my Time emergence, Barry's speed has increased and has been able to see incoming attacks much more clearly, able to react quicker. With Mick's Sage, Barry is able to calculate, analyse, and process information at a faster rate, able to make better decisions when he's running at top speed. As for Healing, Barry could already heal at an unbelievable rate. However, when Healing activated inside of Hart, Barry was able to spread his healing toward others, rather than just himself. With the emergence of Healing within Rob here, we have no idea how that will affect Barry but my guess is that Barry's Extended Healing will become more of a group thing rather than just a single target at a time." 

"Curaga," Calvin chirped, causing everyone to glance at him. "It's a strong healing ability that can target a single ally, but can also be targeted toward the group but at a decreased amount as the number is split between each member." 

"Makes sense," Rob chimed in. "A single target will benefit from the full Healing, whereas a group has to share the Healing energies. It's like pieces of a pie." 

"Do we have pie?" Calvin asked as his stomach growled, everyone focusing on him again. "What?! I'm still young, I need nourishment." 

"Plenty in the fridge," Kyle smiled as he stood up. 

While Kyle, with the assistance of Mick, set to work on slicing up the pies that were baked early that morning, Kenneth kept his attention on Leonard. 

"So then," Kenneth began. "Your Speed Force has Speed, Empath, Pulse as the primaries, and Healing, Time, Sage, Distortion as the support. All your members reside here in Central City, including our old geezer of a CSI Gagne who's of your Minor Support Network." 

"Huh, wha, whozzat?" Gagne, who had been sleeping soundly in one of the big oversized chairs, snapped awake due to a cushion smacking into him courtesy of a grinning Jackson. 

"We really don't know much about the Minor Support Network," Leonard told Kenneth truthfully. "We didn't even know such a Network existed until Hart scanned Gagne. We don't even know how many members a Minor Support Network holds." 

"Captain Singh is one of ours," Gagne informed them while stifling a yawn. "So that's two that we know of for sure." 

"Wadbout otterworks?" Calvin spoke through a mouthful of Apple Pie. 

Handing Jackson a plate, Kyle answered Calvin's question. "The third known Network is the Death Force, a network full of dark parasitic Forces that have no true Bearers of their own. They leech upon Force Bearers, corrupting them, destroying their true Networks and turning them into hosts for the Death Force parasites. For many years, Hart was host to Dark Force, which prevented Empath from materialising, and stunted the growth of Healing. It was only a few months ago when Barry entered Hart's life again that they were able to eradicate Dark Force from Hart's body. That has never happened before in the history of the Forces." 

"It's true," Victor confirmed. "We have the books and documents at the Manor. All Force Bearers that were targeted by the Death Force Network have all become consumed by darkness, hatred, greed. They lived a life of chaos, causing destruction wherever they went. The age of infestation vary between targets, with most having died within the first year of corruption, the longest on record is five years. Hart has exceeded all that, having been corrupted at birth and living 27 years with many more years ahead of him. He is also the strongest Empath in history. Also of note, Barry is the most unpredictable Force Master in Network history. Sure, some things we can predict, like when Floyd puts a single finger on Hart's crotch, then we know Barry will instantly appear." 

"Hands off, you vile piece of vermin!" Jackson's growl interrupted Victor's explanation as Barry quickly devoured Jackson's pie. 

"Case in point," Victor grinned toothily. "Who knew that Barry would suddenly get the upper hand in his battle with Floyd just for a slice of pie?" 

"Barry reacts to the weirdest things," Kenneth nodded. "It's that unpredictability that makes us appreciate him. Out in the field, it helps keep him alive as his opponents won't be able to predict his movements. He's also highly entertaining." 

Kenneth's grin quickly turned into a glare as Barry squished himself on the sofa between Calvin and Hartley, causing Calvin to be shoved more his way and Kenneth really had no room to move as the sofa could only hold three full-sized adults. Right now the sofa was holding five males, two of which were on the smaller size, but it still made for a tight squeeze. If Kenneth had to be really honest with himself, he really didn't mind the squeeze, as he wrapped an arm around Calvin's waist to lift him a little bit to give the kid some breathing room. He kept his arm around Calvin's waist to steady him on his lap, chuckling as the kid glared at Barry and kicked him. Barry just rolled his eyes, completely taking over the vacated space by sprawling over it, with his upper body pressed into Hart's side and draping his legs over Kenneth's own legs, unmindful of Calvin's legs in the way. "Very unpredictable," Kenneth repeated, growling softly. 

"I am just amazed that Hart hadn't woken up during all that wiggling," Jackson commented, shifting his own weight a bit against the other arm of the sofa. 

"A special talent he has," Kyle told them. "For years, Hartley had been able to sense the negative auras of those around him, unable to relax, unable to let down his guard. It was only in the presence of a select few people he was able to have decent sleep. These last few months, Hart has been able to get the best sleep in years. Right here, right now, you can tell he is perfectly at peace, no sign of stress or tension. It is because we are all here. He trusts each of us explicitly, knowing that no harm will come to him when we are around. He also trusts his own Forces to alert him as needed. Presently, there is no danger, Hart sleeps well." 

"Barry is much the same way," Gagne observed as they watched the speedster sleeping soundly. "Cal, remember when you guys came over?" 

"That's right," Calvin remembered, turning back to Kyle. "It was when you and Hart were in Gotham. Barry hadn't been sleeping too well that week but when Gagne had us over to his place, Barry fell asleep after exhausting himself from playing with the twins so much. I've never seen him sleep that deeply before, not even at work, as I could tell he was still on full alert while asleep." 

"He was like a dead weight," Kenneth growled fondly. "We let him sleep for about three hours before hauling his ass home. Never once woke up until the morning." 

"Good, safe environment can make anyone have a decent sleep," Kyle nodded. "It pleases me that these two can sleep so well in our presence. Of all of us, they expend their energies the most, thus need constant replenishing and rest. Majority of the time, they don't even realise they are expending themselves so much." Kyle sighed. 

"It's very much the reason why I encouraged Barry to come down here," Leonard told them. "He was overextending himself too much, not allowing himself the chance to wind down. Mistakes kept happening as he was exhausted, and those mistakes kept weighing heavily on his mind. Down here, Barry knows he has the freedom to shed all aspects of himself, just be Barry. Relax, sleep, watch videos, read, whatever he needs to forget about saving the world for a few minutes." 

Again, Leonard really didn't feel the need to explain just how he and Mick were able to encourage Barry to visit whenever he wished. He had a feeling some of them already knew the gist of things, but he had no intention of providing details. 

Instead, he turned his focus back to Kenneth. "You were working on a line of thought." 

Kenneth hummed, as he readjusted Calvin a bit. "All you guys are here in Central City, but our Network is in Gotham. My question, is it normal for a Network to all reside in the same area or are they usually spread out?" 

A soft-spoken melodious voice was the one that answered, causing all heads to snap toward the beautiful goddess that materialised into the room. "Many Networks throughout history have gone incomplete due to various factors, one of which is simply because they were not found. It is more rare to find all members residing in the same area." 

"What causes other Force Bearers to not be found?" Calvin asked as the deity made her way to where Leonard was standing so everyone was facing forward again. 

"Death is the primary cause, often at childbirth or at an early age," Gideon stated gently. "It was often believed it was due to a mother's weak body, complications with the birth, or an illness that caught hold of the young child. Upon our own research, us Guardians discovered that many of those cases were due to the child being targeted by one of the parasites of the Death Force." 

"Hartley mentioned to you all that Empaths are rare," Gideon continued after a few moments of silence, receiving nods in response. "Empaths, due to their very core nature, are the most vulnerable. It is through their senses and emotions that the parasites infiltrate them to their darkest depths, corrupting them, killing them early in life. It is extremely rare for an Empath to live beyond the age of five." 

"So basically, it's rare for all seven members of a Network to come together, especially if one of them is a deceased Empath. Many groups were incomplete due to not being able to find them all. Death Force, ordinary death and illness, even something as simple as one of the members being across the country, or even across the globe." Kenneth sat back against the cushions, arms crossed, puzzling over everything. 

His concerned tone brought another question to Calvin's mind. "You won't have to leave, will you, Kenny?" 

"Nothing to worry about," Victor spoke up. "It's true, the rest of our Network reside in Gotham, but Kenny and Jacks don't need to move to Gotham if they don't want to. There will be frequent enough visits to check in with them, update our databases, that kind of stuff. However, we will need to get them out to Gotham soon to introduce them to Alfred, add them to the security systems, get the database going, and most importantly, get them attuned with Bruce along with some basic training. Afterward, they can go back to their regular jobs of prowling the CCPD and inspecting all the hidden corners." 

Leonard clearly noticed the relieved look on Calvin's face which was equally matched by Jackson. Kenneth was still in his cop-mode, studying the information from all angles. "Cal, what also helps is that we have various means to travel between cities easily. We have the PalmerTech Jet, Wayne Enterprises Jet, Cisco can open a travel breach if we bribe him enough, and he also has a portable device to open breaches." 

"Before we discovered those port breach devices, I also made use of the Network paths to dash between Networks," Floyd chimed in, sauntering up to the Guardian. "Mmm, hey, Beautiful. Long time no see." 

"How?" Calvin was full of questions which Leonard was pleased about. The more everyone understood about the Networks, the better. 

"Floyd has a habit of flirting with his Guardian, enticing Hanabi to let him travel over to my Network. I'm sure some of you know that both Hartley and Barry have entered the Guardian Realm?" 

"Oh!" Calvin's eyes lit up. "On that big case day, Hart was having some sort of mental attack based on what that jerk was doing, and he had mumbled something about being right back. He was unconscious, but not, for about ten minutes. Difficult to explain." 

"Precisely. Hartley had entered my realm at that time, in the spiritual sense, being in both places at the same time. His consciousness was with me while his body was being tended to by yourself and Healer Rob. When in such a split state, Hartley's safety is determined by his surroundings. At the precinct, with you guys, he was in no danger at all." 

"They can also enter your realm in the physical sense, or just their consciousness?" Jackson picked up the line of questioning. 

"It takes a great deal more energy to transfer a physical body into the Guardian Realm but those two have an abundance of energy that renders the difficulty level a moot point. Now, in Floyd's case, he also has an extremely high level of energy so he can travel into the Realm with ease. What has never occurred before in Network History is being able to transfer between Realms. Floyd somehow managed to open a doorway into my Realm." 

"When time is short, I pop up to see Hanabi, she unlocks the door for me, I get transported over to Gideon's Network, and she sends me down to wherever her own kids are. Sometimes she dumps me on the outskirts of Central City." Floyd turned a glaring, accusing eye at the smirking Guardian. 

"Only because you're abusing a sacred Network," Kenneth growled. "I would think using that particular means of travel highly restricted and only to be used in extreme circumstances. I very much doubt just popping over for a visit in the middle of the night to watch Hart sleep is considered proper usage." 

"Only to watch?" Floyd's eyes widened in shock, then let out a snort. "Come now, thought you knew me better than that. One does not simply just watch a perfect form sleeping, how the skin flutters with each delectable breath, smooth chest rising ... " 

Leonard smirked of his own as he slammed the barrel of his cold gun across the side of Floyd's neck, sending him flying toward the couch. Amazingly, and yet, not surprising, the impact did not awaken the sleeping speedster. However, one glaring pretty green eye did emerge as the Empath kicked the Hunter away. 

Taking the opportunity to grab a drink, Leonard headed over to the fridge just as Calvin asked another question. When he returned, handing a bottle of water to Hart, he settled in a chair next to Jackson. 

"Throughout history, it has only been recorded on six occasions where all members have gathered together. For most Networks, only five have ever been found and lived proper full lives, but it's more common for a Network to only have three active members. The last time all seven gathered was nearly two hundred years ago. The last time seven have gathered under my jurisdiction: never." 

"What's different this time?" Gagne with the question this time. 

Gideon smiled warmly over at the CSI. "We are still going over that information but it seems the key is our young Empath." 

With everyone, Leonard turned his gaze toward the one in question, watching those sparking blue eyes blink up at their Guardian. 

"Just like at the precinct," Calvin beamed. "It's like, the whole place became lively again when Hart came back. Me and Jacks were just discussing that earlier, how our own energies began emerging over the summer." 

"I hardly think I'm a key to anything," Hartley dismissed the notion. 

"Not alone, no," Calvin continued. "A key only works with a lock, right?" Again, as a collective unit, everyone turned their gaze to where Calvin indicated, the drooling speedster still sound asleep against Hart's side. 

"He has a point," Kyle spoke up for the first time in awhile. "Your Healing activated when we found Barry at the grocery store, which led us to coming here. Empath also emerged because of Barry while we were in Gotham. I know my energies grew strong enough to be recognised due to continued association with Barry these last few months. Once you and Barry reconnected, the rest of us felt the energies stirring." 

"Then how do you explain the energies that initialised inside of Kenneth and Jackson? If I recall, they're of an entirely different Network." 

A valid point, Leonard mused, turning his attention back to Gideon, to see what the Guardian has to say regarding Hart's concern. 

"Another occurrence with no precedent," Gideon replied, capturing everyone's attention again. "Never in our Network history has two different Networks melded so well together. At most, one or two from opposing Networks may become friends but since the beginning of the Ages, Networks have always conflicted. It cannot be certain, but Jackson, you and Kenneth may have felt your energies awakening due to your longer association with Hartley than with Floyd. You may also have felt Floyd's energies resonating within Hartley as well due to their personal connection." 

"Like a chain reaction," Jackson nodded. "I will admit, when I bumped into Floyd at Jitters that day I lost my wallet, I felt a stronger stirring, but I hadn't mentioned anything as this was before we even knew about the Network, and Kenny woulda taken it the wrong way ... " His voice trailed off and Leonard saw the officer's cheeks turn red. To his credit, Kenneth only rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated snort. 

"You've never been down here in this realm," Gagne stated, the Guardian nodding. "It's only because the seven members have gathered. How does the Minor Support Network fall into place?" 

"Another that has never occurred before in History, at least, not on record. It is likely Minor Networks have existed but have not been powerful enough for detection." 

"Could they have already been proficient in shielding, or maybe they used to be Main Network but sustained energy loss as part of natural aging?" Gagne is on fire with the questions. 

"That is a good thought, and one that require more research. It is true that a Force Bearer that has lived a full, long life, does lose some strength in their energies in the later years but each one has still maintained some stability during usage. Come up here, please, so I may scan you." 

"Sure," Gagne said as he stood up. "So there really is no idea how many members a Minor Network can have? I know myself and Captain Singh of the CCPD are part of the Speed Force Network. We resonate perfectly with them." 

It was a full minute before Gideon replied, after having done a preliminary scan of Gagne. "A Minor Network is new even to us Guardians, we have no way of knowing how many more will be discovered. It is true, however, that you are resonating in perfect harmony with my Network. Your energy strength is half that of a Main member but significant enough to warrant recognition. Quite impressive, really. As for where your talent lies, I'll save that for when our Force Master does a scan of his own." 

Leonard could feel the radiance flowing from their Guardian as she delighted in Gagne's placement within their Network. Whatever it was that Gagne has, must be something incredibly useful that none of the others has. 

That brought up a question of his own. "Within the Main Network, we know there are three primaries and four support. How is it determined what's a Primary and what's a Support?" 

Gideon smiled at the question. "The Primaries can feed off the Support as needed. In other words, Barry, Hartley, and young Calvin can obtain massive amounts of energy through external means. You, Mick, Kyle and Healer Rob have the ability to transfer your energies into those three. There are other factors as well that differentiate a Primary from Support but that ability is where the Network truly shines as a unit." 

"Channels," Calvin chirped again. "With all members of a Network, they can consolidate their energies into one person, in our case, Barry, as he's our Force Master, and use him as a channel to expel a very massive energy blast." 

Once again, all heads turned to the young tech, amazed at his accurate interpretations. "What? I watch Anime, Sentai, and play video games, y'know." Kenneth ruffled Calvin's hair much to the youngster's annoyance. 

"Exactly so, young Calvin," Gideon beamed, warming the entire room. "You are wise beyond your twenty years, tapping into the inquisitive side of Sage, always learning. Each Primary can tap into various sides of each of the four Support, but can never fully obtain all of that Support's abilities. Support can also tap into other Support but only on a minor level and normally not more than one or two abilities. As a Prime, Calvin, you will soon notice increased reading speed and being able to react quicker to various situations, with the assistance of Time. Your self-healing will also be greater than that of an average person, but it won't ever reach the levels of Barry, Hartley and Healer Rob, the three Healing specialists. Your Force is Pulse, changing the frequency of those around you to match that of your self. Kyle's is Distortion, matching his frequency to those around him. Similar you two are but vastly different, yet it's this difference that will make you both become a real force to reckon with together." 

"Can Support tap into a Primary?" Kyle's question this time. 

Gideon shook her head. "Not that has been recorded. Only a Primary can tap into another Primary but it uses up more energy than it would for a Primary to tap into a Support. A Support simply does not have the proper energy output to tap into a Primary. Is there something specific on your mind?" 

Kyle nodded. "Before we went to Gotham, when Distortion was making its appearance, I could do a Healing Mist, but at the time, believed it was just another aspect of my Meta side." 

Gideon pondered that for a moment. "I see. At that time, Hartley was the main Healer before his Empath emerged but even so, Healing was only a secondary. The true Healer hadn't emerged until today. Interesting." 

Leonard was reminded of an earlier question. "Is there a clear line between the Force self and the Meta self? How do we know if Barry and Kyle are tapping into their Force powers or Meta powers?" 

Gideon sighed for the first time. "Again, there is no precedent. Never has a Force Bearer emerged with Meta Powers until now. Metas simply did not exist in the past." 

"We could put the Meta Dampener Field on, put Kyle and Barry through some tests, see what emerges as pure Force Network energy," Calvin suggested. "They've been exposed to it before, right?" 

"Indeed, they have," Leonard said thoughtfully. "An excellent idea. Kyle?" 

"Certainly," Kyle agreed. "May I suggest another time, when Barry is awake?" 

Hartley snorted as he nudged the sleeping speedster. "You'll have a long time to wait. He's down deep." Then, more softly, "Guess he really needed the sleep." 

A cell phone rang, followed by another. Leonard watched as both Gagne and Rob stepped aside to answer them. Glancing up at the clock, he realised it was after 7:00 pm. 

"Seems it's been a long day for all of you," Gideon stated. "We shall pick this up another time. In the meantime, any inquiries can be made to Hartley which he can transfer over to me. I also recommend the Library at Wayne Manor as there are a lot of historical documents there. Just remember, all of you are unique, all of your abilities are far stronger than any I have ever seen before, and you've all broken the rules of a Force Bearer too many times to count." She sighed again before turning away with a sparkle in her eye. "This is a new era. You all will forge new paths together as opposed to the separate paths of days long past. The rules have changed. I can only hope you don't give me any grey hairs along your journey. Until we meet again." 

With a raise of her hand, Gideon, the Force Guardian of the Speed Force Network, winked out of existence. 

\----------------------------------------------

"That was some exit, huh, Hart?" 

Hartley grinned back at his positively beaming friend. "Yeah, Cal. Gideon is quite amazing." 

Pressing the button to start the dishwasher, he turned to see Gagne and Rob gathering up their jackets. 

"Need a ride?" Gagne asked the newest Healer. "I gotta stop off to get more laundry detergent along the way. Apparently, that offspring of Emma's decided to use a whole box for his volcano project." He rolled his eyes, causing Rob to chuckle. 

"Sure, that'd be great. I'll see if David needs anything." Hauling out his cell phone, Rob speed-dialed David's number. Before the call connected, his eyes widened in horror as Barry approached with sparking yellow eyes ... no, orange, red, now green, blue, purple? 

"Uh ... ?" Calvin inquired of Hart, but he only just leaned back against the counter watching the scene unfold. This should be interesting. 

"Doctor Rob!" Barry was beaming his most radiant yet, his energy sparks very visible. "We need to do something." 

Hartley grinned at seeing Rob back up a few steps until he hit the wall, Barry stalking ever closer. He could hear the increased heartbeat and shortness of breath in the Healer. 

"Gods, no, no, hell no I'm not doing that!" Rob protested as Barry pressed a palm to his chest. 

"Do what?" Barry tilted his head in inquiry, kneading his fingers into the fabric. 

"Do what? What the hell is going on over there?!" A voice growled out over Rob's cell phone, which then slid out of damp fingers and thudded to the floor. 

"You ... you ... you ... " Rob stammered. 

"Yes, Rob, we should get ourselves properly attuned," Barry grinned. 

"Hell NO," Rob repeated more forcefully. "I know how you attune with your Network. I am NOT doing that. No way, just no." 

"Hmm?" Barry peered into Rob's sparking green eyes and licked his lips. "Your eyes are almost as pretty as Hart's." 

"Gods, just kill me already," Rob whined. 

Hartley witnessed what most of the others were unable to see, the steady flow of energy from the Force Master into the Healer, and the mingling of both energies. A few moments later, Rob's body sparked in all the colours of the Speed Force. 

"Man, do you always get this easily worked up?" Barry giggled as he pulled his hand away, sparks blinking out of existence. 

"Huh? Wha?" Rob blinked his eyes open, confused. "What did you do?" 

"Exactly what I needed to do," Barry stated seriously. "Needed to get you properly attuned with myself and the Network and we did just that. You already got attuned to both Kyle and Hartley, and now with me, so the rest will be much easier to mingle energies with when you have the time." 

"Huh? That's it? No big ceremony or initiation or anything?" 

Hartley struggled to hold back his laughter, clearly knowing what was running through Rob's mind, and Barry was oblivious to it all. 

"No, should there be?" Barry mulled that over. "If an initiation was required, then you already passed with how you healed up Hart. Were you expecting something specific?" 

Rob paled at that question. "Uh, no, no. Nothing, no. All good. I ... gotta go." He quickly side-stepped around the speedster and headed for the door. 

"Your phone?" Barry said as he picked up the abandoned cell phone from the floor. Rob turned back and snatched it out of his hand and dashed out the door. Hartley had a good look at the face that had flushed bright red. 

"Cya tomorrow, Barry," Gagne waved at them and followed Rob, also struggling to hold in his laughter. 

When they left, Hartley approached his stunned partner. "What was that all about?" Barry muttered. 

Wrapping his arms around that slim waist, Hartley rested his chin on Barry's shoulder. "Rob feared you were going to do the same attunement method you did with with me, Len and Mick, not realising that only the mingling of energies was required." 

"Huh? What attunement method?" 

"Oooooh! I get it," Calvin chimed it. "Rob thought you were gonna ... " 

"Ready to go, brat?" Kenneth growled out loudly, cutting off Calvin's words. "Ain't got all night, gotta feed them furballs at home." 

"Oh! Right, coming!" Calvin dashed around collecting his jacket, backpack, and sneakers, patting his pockets, then dashed around again to find his wallet that fell out of his pocket into the sofa cushions. "Okay, ready! Bye, guys!" 

"See you guys tomorrow," Jackson waved as Calvin darted past him out the door. 

"Bye," Barry waved, and Hart felt how eager his partner was to get rid of everyone. Snuggling in closer, arms tightening around his favourite waist, he closed his eyes, capturing this very much-needed moment. 

"Finally! Some alone time," Floyd growled softly into his ear, pulling him back into the present. "How about we ditch Sparky and ... gaaack!" 

The weight that plastered to his back was suddenly pulled away as Victor tossed Floyd toward the door. "We'll be staying in town at the apartment, call if you need anything." 

Hartley grinned at how forcefully Victor hauled Floyd off with him but didn't get a chance to comment as he was pressed up against the wall. 

"Finally! Thought they'd never leave," Barry was the one that growled softly in his ear this time, then proceeded to lavish attention behind his ear and side of his neck. "Still," he paused once he had Hart gasping for breath, "I wonder where they're staying. I didn't know they had an apartment here." 

Hartley couldn't believe that his partner could be so dense ... wait, yeah, he could. "Don't you know? They've been staying aaaaacksssss ... " he hissed as Barry bit down on the right nipple, gently, but that nipple was always more sensitive than the other. 

Barry soothed the nipple with his tongue then pulled back with his teeth, releasing it with a grin while Hart failed miserably to push him away. "Meh, details. Don't really care where they're staying so long as that jerk ain't here. Only thing that matters, right here, right now, is alone time with you." 

He tried, he really did, but Hartley could not contain his laughter, especially when Barry had just dipped his hands below the waistband. "What in the world makes you think we're alone right now?" 

He grinned at Barry's bewildered look, feeling both hands cupping his ass, fingers gently pressing against the skin. 

"Don't mind us, Red, do continue," Mick replied from where he had sprawled out on the sofa. 

"Gaaaah," Barry whined and thumped his head against Hart's chest. Hartley couldn't help but try and soothe his poor partner. Of the three that still remained, only Mick was paying explicit attention to them. Leonard was focused on his laptop checking messages, and Kyle was puttering about straightening up the place. 

The Meta Beast Alert sounded causing a very painful, long drawn out wail. Reaching down, Hartley pulled the cell phone out of Barry's pocket and pressed the flashing button. 

"DUDE! Up near Star Bridge ... " Cisco's voice came over the receiver. 

"NO! No no no no no no no, damnit, I'm retiring, effective immediately!" Barry thumped the wall while slowly retracting his other hand from Hart's ass. "Can't a guy have five minutes?!" 

"Tell that to all the people trapped in vehicles on a bridge that's half missing," Cisco growled. 

"That's a Meta Human power, not a mmmmph ... " 

Pulling back out of the kiss, Hartley watched his partner's eyes spark all the colours of the Speed Force. "Go. I'll be here when you get back." 

"Barry? Still there, dude?" 

Barry sighed then growled. "Fine, but if you even THINK about stepping outside ... " 

Hartley placed a finger on his lips, effectively shutting him up. "There is no threat in the entire Multiverse that works on me. Get going so you can get back." 

With another kiss, Barry zipped off. "He's on his way," Hartley told Cisco. "Any of us needed?" 

"Nah, man, Frosty's out there as well and I'll be popping over if needed. Doesn't seem to be all that dangerous. Seems to have some sort of Illusion ability." 

"Alright, laters," Hartley said and disconnected the call, tossing the cell phone on the table as he slumped into the chair. 

Despite all the resting he did scattered throughout the day, Hartley felt exhausted. He really wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep up with Barry, especially when he's in his ultra-frisky mode. Oh, he knew Barry was always watching him, tapping into their special connection, but it wouldn't be fair to the speedster if Hart ended up falling asleep. He really didn't want to deny his partner any second of their relaxing time as with everything that's been going on, they both really needed to be together. 

"Len?" He spoke softly, eyes unfocused as he stared up at the ceiling. 

"Hmm?" 

"Thank you." He felt the need to thank his elder partner, not quite sure where his current thoughts were taking him. 

"For?" 

"That day, in the alley." He blinked, surprised by his words as he hadn't thought about that day in ages, that day nearly 21 years ago. Hartley continued, letting his thoughts roam. "If you guys hadn't shown up when you did ... well, you did, and I'm glad, but ... if it weren't for our Forces ... " 

"Hart, it wasn't the Forces," Leonard interrupted him, voice cool and steady, causing him to lift his head and blink in confusion. 

"But ... " 

"No buts, it's the truth," Leonard enforced. "Back then, none of us knew about all this Force Network stuff. Me and Mick just happened to be in the right place at the right time." He watched Len sigh and lean back in his own chair. Mick had straightened up watching the both of them. 

"Look, Hart," Leonard spoke more softly, holding his gaze. "Truth is, we were following up on a lead about some troublemakers in the area, that was stealing intel. I don't know what you remember about that night but they thought you were one of us and was roughing you up for some specific info. You truly didn't know anything, but they didn't know that, so they pushed harder. We heard them before we saw you, heard their laughter, their words of intentions. We knocked most of them out before we got a good look at you sprawled out on the pavement. We nearly killed the final two bastards and brought you home with us." 

"What they was doin' din't sit well with us," Mick picked up the tale. "Admit, soon as we saw ya, I knows I felt sumtin, like yer some important. Ain't know how or why but we fixed you up best we could rather than leavin' ya to rot on dat pavement. Felt protective more than I shoulda. But 'm glad we found you. Ain't no explanation that can proper tell why we took ya in aside from us wanting to. We did what we did 'cause our hearts felt good." 

"Huh ... " Hartley mulled that over. It's true, he did know how Leonard and Mick felt toward him, why they took him in, looked out for him, but he had lost sight of that, becoming confused about how their relationship began. With the revelations of the Force Network energies, he had to admit that the energies and the power within are highly attractive, thus muddling his thoughts, confusing him. He's seen first hand how power attracts power, especially in their friends, notably Calvin, and started believing their relationship was just energy related. 

"I know what you're thinking and you can discard those thoughts," Leonard ordered, causing him to blink rapidly at the tone. "It wasn't our energies, our powers, that brought us to you, or you to us. Well, maybe something of the sort happened, but soon as we brought you home with us, it was purely our decision on what to do next. As Mick stated, we could have easily left you there on the streets, but we didn't. We wanted you with us, we wanted to look out for you, we wanted to help you to survive. I know it wasn't easy living in our world, but neither was your own life. We couldn't offer much, but we could certainly keep you from dying on the streets." 

Hartley could have told Len that he was wrong, that he and Mick provided everything he needed, but those weren't the words forming in his mind right then. Besides, he knew Len and Mick knew that, how he felt toward them, so those comments were presently unnecessary. Instead, his mind was focused on the reason ... 

"Why was I in that alley?" He knew the reason but he couldn't quite grasp it. It was there, hovering just out of reach. 

"You said you were getting away from your dad," Len told him. 

"But ... why? What happened that caused me to run off? And why that alley?" Try as he might, Hartley couldn't make sense of it. 

"Running blind will turn a person around, easily lost on the streets," Mick stated. 

"No, there was something, a reason, maybe herded ... argh!" He closed his eyes and thumped the arm of the chair in frustration. After a few moments of silence, he glanced back up again. "Len? Think you can take a look?" 

"Hmm," Leonard was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, as he studied him, mulling over the request. "This is not something I've done before, I don't know what will happen, but ... " 

"Gotta practice your abilities somehow, right?" Hartley smiled at him, soothing the mood of the room. "I trust you. I just need to know what happened that night. I can't quite remember any details." 

"You was pretty banged up when we got there," Mick spoke softly as Leonard sat on the table in front of Hart. "Barely conscious. Not surprisin' ya don't remember much." 

"You ready?" Leonard captured his attention, pulling him into the depths of those sparking purple eyes. He felt his own eyes spark, likely blue, as he nodded. 

"Yeah, go ahead." 

Leaning back comfortably in his own chair, Hartley slowed his breathing and tuned out everything else, keeping his focus on the energies of Time that were now flowing into his body. He barely felt Leonard's hand cupping the side of his head, barely saw those pretty eyes peering into his own. He wasn't sure how much time had passed but he soon found himself drifting. 

\----------------------------------------------

Trusting in Mick to help keep watch over them both, Leonard put all his focus on Hartley, focusing inward to the deepest parts of the Empath's mind. He kept up a slow, steady flow of his Time energies as he gained a new sight, viewing things that nobody should ever see. 

This was unlike anything he's ever experienced before, and nothing at all like the visits to the Orb Chamber within a person's mind. Granted, Leonard hasn't had the opportunity to partake in such a journey, but he knew about them, based on the images and feelings that poured freely out of Barry and Hartley. 

No, this was far, far different. If he had to describe it, it felt like a Time Stream, where he was hovering in space surrounded by an infinite number of displays, each one a different memory. 

Glancing through a few, Leonard saw they were part of the CCPD batch from the past few weeks. He smiled at the memory where Hart had showed up to scan Barry's Lab and wound up as a CSI instead. His smile disappeared when he couldn't make out a fuzzy blur. Someone was there, the Captain had even growled at that person, but he couldn't make it out at all. 

Several more memories of the CCPD yielded the same result. He had a feeling that there was something sinister about that fuzzy blur person. 

Putting that thought aside, Leonard focused on the task at hand. Scanning further back through the memories, he puzzled over some blackened sections. He paused at one cluster and fed some of his energies into it, watching the blackness shimmer and break. He immediately felt awed by the brightness of the cluster within, watching as they flickered rapidly, gaining in intensity, and melded together to form a display. He nearly lost his balance, paling at what the display had to show him. 

It was during Hart's first week at the CCPD, but this memory was when he stayed over at Barry's apartment. Leonard remembered that morning, having had called to see how he was doing, and Hart was complaining about being late to work. Everything seemed normal until the display flickered, signalling the beginning of the previously blocked section. That same fuzzy blur appeared and attacked Hartley, slamming a jolt stick into him, snapping shock-cuffs on him. He felt sick to his stomach with how detached Hartley was, unresponsive, just letting the bastard do what he wanted. Barry appeared confused, dazed, quite pale ... whatever was happening, that fuzzy blur was affecting him badly. Within moments, dark energies started flowing out of Hart's body. Leonard watched, unable to blink, as his young partner stood up, snapped the cuffs off, grabbed the jolt stick and hauled the fuzzy blur out of the apartment, tossing him down the stairs into a black energy portal. The display flickered as the dark energies dispersed, and Mrs Cleary came into view. 

Gasping, stepping away from the display, Leonard closed his eyes to calm himself. How many more of those blocked memories contained Hart displaying such raw power of darkness? He knew that Dark Force resided in Hartley for most of his life, and Barry helped to eradicate Dark Force from his body, but just how much has Dark Force influenced Hart before the cleansing? Hartley had never mentioned Dark Force taking full control of him before, and Leonard fully understood why. The black displays, the blocked memories, they were all likely times when Dark Force had taken control. 

Ignoring the rest of the black displays, Leonard hurried further back until he found 7 year old Hartley in the alley. The memory flickered to life with young Hart glancing behind him while turning a corner into that very same alley. He thumped into a heavy body that grasped his arms while the one chasing him came around the corner, smirking, holding a barbed chain. Others slowly came into view, all laughing, talking, and began pushing young Hart around between them. Some laid in punches, some kicks, others used whatever blunt weapon they found. Always asking questions about the Snart Clan, not hearing a single word young Hart managed to squeak out. 

The memory flickered, once again signalling the beginning of a blocked section. This was something that Leonard never knew as it was before Len and Mick appeared on the scene. Oh, he knew that Hart's clothing was torn to pieces, hanging off his battered body, but this ... he could barely watch. 

They brutalised him in every way imaginable, each member taking his turn, zipping up when done, always laughing with each other. The memory flickered again just as they came into view. 

When Len and Mick appeared, their leader had his own dick out but Len honestly thought they caught him before he invaded such a private area. Never had it crossed his mind that the leader had just finished, let alone all the rest having had a turn. Now he's really wishing he had killed all them bastards rather than just knocking them out. 

Leonard really didn't know what to do. Against his better judgement, he sent forth his Time energies, sealing up that memory, that time in the alley, the multiple rapes. He only left the sense that Hart ran away, stumbled into a street gang, and that Len and Mick rescued him, bringing him home. After all, that's the story that Hart has told them, told Barry, told Kyle. He knew it was wrong to seal up the memory, but with everything currently going on, and about to happen in the coming weeks, he needed Hart to be sharp and on his game, not being paralysed by his own memories. Later on, once everything is settled down again, he'll sit down with the young Empath and explain what he's done, and leave it up to Hart to decide whether to unseal the memory or not. 

For now, he had a task at hand, to find out why Hartley was there, how he came to be running around the streets after midnight. 

Turning, he ambled further down and was quickly met with resistance. Try as he might, he could not pass through the barrier. Reaching his arm up, Leonard let some of his Time energies flow out ... 

"... the bloody hell happened?!" 

Blinking, Leonard sat up, wincing at the pain in his skull. 

"Easy, you whacked yer head when ya fell." He felt his hand pushed aside, fingers on the back of his skull. "Yer fine, thick skull like me. Day or two of rest and y'll be fine." 

"Thank you, Doctor Mick," Leonard growled then winced again. "What happened?" Glancing over at the chair, he momentarily panicked when he saw Hart unmoving, but quickly relaxed when he saw the steady rising of his chest. 

"He's okay, sleeping," Mick told him. "What you see?" 

Grabbing the water bottle Mick held out to him, Leonard popped in two Ibuprofen and drank half while collecting his thoughts. He sighed, watching as Mick draped a blanket over Hartley and adjusted his head more comfortably onto a pillow. 

"There's a lot of blocked memories in there," Leonard told his pyro partner. "Too many. I managed to unblock one of the more recent ones and it was caused by Dark Force, when he was under its control. It was ... scary, like a demon, a pure devil rising from the deepest depths of hell." He drained the rest of his water bottle before continuing. 

"A lot of the current memories from the CCPD contained a bug of sorts, like a glitch in the program. Always a fuzzy blur of a person around, being interacted with, but there are no details to determine the identity of the person. It's like, someone tried to erase the person but wasn't able to do a complete job." 

"If it's a blob at the CCPD, scanning Red might reveal its secrets," Mick told him. 

Leonard thought that over. "That's a good thought. Barry is usually around whenever Hartley is at the precinct. For that matter, same with Calvin, Kenneth and Jackson. Scanning all of them should help reveal the identity of that mystery blur." 

"Find the memory?" Mick asked while downing his own water bottle. 

Leonard sighed and rubbed his eyes, the Ibuprofen taking effect. "Yes, and no. I found when the memory is, but I wasn't able to view it. There's a barrier that I couldn't get through. It felt different from all the other blocked memories. Those ones I can unlock, but not this barrier. This was created by some external source. The barrier is when Hart was running scared on the streets that night, a block away from his mansion. Try as I might, I cannot go further back in his memories." 

"That's when you was knocked out of his head," Mick stated. 

Leonard nodded. "Yes. Whoever erected that barrier, whatever is hidden throughout the first seven years, Mick, it can't be good." 

Before he realised it, Mick had pulled him over to him on the sofa and was holding him close, the pyro's body heat warming his chilled skin. He felt his own body collapse, utterly exhausted, while Mick kneaded his big meaty hands into his back. 

"We'll figure it out someday. Fer now, concentrate on what's to come." 

"What if the key to understanding what's coming is locked behind that barrier?" Leonard whispered, very frightened, a side that he has only ever shown Mick. 

"Then we'll deal with it then," Mick said as he stood up, still holding on to him. "Let's get you cleaned up and into bed." 

Tired as he was, Leonard didn't protest, letting Mick lead him into the spacious ensuite. The shower in there was much bigger than their own and had all the safety features so they won't slip and fall. He found himself hanging heavily on to the bars, while Mick washed him. Afterward, Mick led him into the pyro's bedroom. He couldn't be certain, but he thought he caught a glimpse of a large rodent sleeping on the floor in the livingroom. That thought, and all others, dissipated soon as his head hit the pillow, drifting off into a deep sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Glad to have you back, Commander," he informed the large Avian, closing the door behind them. "I feared the rodent did some damage." 

"Enough to cause concern in how we deal with him from here on out," came the gravelly voice. "Rest assured, he will make a fine addition. You did well to bring him to my attention." 

"Mmm," he sighed happily at feeling those wonderful claws dig into his lower back, as he was lifted then placed on the bed. "I've a plan to make him more accepting toward me, become more easily manipulated. He's back to work in the morning." 

"Which will arrive all too soon," the Commander growled. "Enough talk. I've only three hours to get back home to my mate." 

He visibly shuddered while placing his hands above his head, where his Commander neatly tied them to the headboard. "By all means, can't keep a lovely lady waiting," he grinned up at the deadly beak just inches from his face. 

"Insolent cur," the Commander growled more harshly, yet he clearly heard the fondness in that deadly tone. "Time to teach you some manners." 

For the next three hours, he screamed until he couldn't scream anymore, all the while feeling elated and in perfect harmony with his Prime Commander. With every thrust, slap, bite, he got drunker and drunker on the pure lust. How he waited for the day he'd be able to do all this to his prey! Maybe he'll even let the rodent watch. How beautiful would that be? 

Feeling his ass plugged to keep in the numerous loads, he laid in a giddy stupor, running through all the scenarios in his mind. He barely mumbled out his affection as his Commander nuzzled him and left for the night. He needn't bother with clean-up, his body chemistry will naturally absorb all the Avian liquids, both splattered over his body, and deep inside. 

Tomorrow ... everything will fall into place. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for checking back into my story! Again, apologies for the delay, but sometimes things just happen that are out of our control.
> 
> So much information in this chapter, so many revelations! And yet, more is required. All will be explained in due Time.
> 
> As always, any questions, concerns, comments, feel free to comment here or send me a private message on Twitter @GaoRyuki.
> 
>  
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Cheri  
> Doctor Rob's assistant at the Hospital, engaged to a lawyer.
> 
> Mr Jennings  
> An old coot of a patient of Doctor Rob's.
> 
> Hanabi  
> Force Guardian of Gotham, Bruce Wayne is Force Master.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changes are in the air for many people, some good, some not so good (debatable?). Our speedy Hero struggles to keep hold of what's his. And a dick might have a heart after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to touch upon Eye Colours for a moment as it may be confusing for people. Each person with Network energies have their own standard eye colour. When their abilities are actively being used, they get an energy spark in their eyes, much like Barry does when tapped into the Speed Force. Now, I know my standard eye colours are incorrect with some chars based on how they are usually portrayed in comics or on television, but that's only because of their energies altering them.
> 
> Hartley, for example, in both mediums he has the most gorgeous blue eyes ever. However, I have his standard colour as green. This is because he was entrusted with Healing energies since his birth, and seeing as Healing gives off a natural green spark, his eyes hadn't a chance to properly form blue before the green started mixing in. His eyes also spark blue with his Empath abilities. Now, if his natural Empath was not corrupted at birth, allowed to grow with Hartley, then his eyes would have been blue. Add in the Healing, and his eyes could have been a very pretty mix of the two, depending on the lighting or his mood.
> 
> Now, you're probably wondering why Leonard's eyes are blue rather than the purple of Time. Not everyone had active Network energies at birth, like Healing was for Hart. They are there but slowly grew in the others, making themselves known during puberty, becoming fully active when they reach maturity. Len's eyes were blue all his life, and only started sparking purple when Empath emerged in Hart. Majority of our chars only just discovered their Network energies when Hart appeared in their lives, which was touched upon in Chapter 15.
> 
> Some Network energies were stronger in some than in others growing up, hence the slight alteration to eye colours. So, if you're thinking: "that char doesn't have that colour in the comics!" then the answer lies within the Network energies each contains. One thing to remember is that even comic artists don't always agree on colours, whether it be eyes, hair, clothing. Also, in Fan-Fiction, colours can be whatever the author chooses. :-)
> 
> Each host of their respective Forces within their assigned Force Network have an energy spark to their eyes. Barry's is primarily yellow, but can spark all the different colours of his Network as he's focused on each one. Leonard sparks the purple of Time, Calvin is amber for Pulse, Kyle is a smokey white for Distortion, Mick is the fiery orange of Sage (not to be confused with Sage Force from the comics), Rob is Healing green. As for the other Network, we only know of the blue spark that Floyd gets so far because he's also an Empath.
> 
> Any questions, concerns, comments, leave them here or DM me on Twitter @GaoRyuki . Enjoy the newest chapter!
> 
> WARNINGS:  
> Dark worrisome thoughts, self-doubt, altercation with a middle-aged male, injection, and the most annoying electric mouse ever (no, not THAT one).

**\-- Rath Play --**   


Friday. The start of the weekend. And here he was sitting at his desk at work before 10:00 am. Sure, he was told to take the weekend off, come back Monday, especially with the week he just had, but the workload just kept piling up. Unlike his work partner, Hartley preferred to keep on top of things so it doesn't take the entire day to go through the backlog. He felt mighty grateful that the other CSI, Gagne, was more than competent to handle a lot of the load, unlike that annoying douche that's the senior CSI's partner. 

Finishing his scan of the security cams from within the Lab during the week, Hartley leaned back in his chair while grabbing a file folder, his feet propped up on the case beneath his desk that he's been using as a footstool. He knew there was something important about the case under his desk but he couldn't really be bothered enough to check it out. He was far more intrigued by the case file in his hands that came over from Keystone. 

Especially since it came from Keystone's own speedster, Wally West. 

Barry had talked to Wally previously about some possible migrations of criminals leaving Keystone for Central City. Wally had sent over a copy of each criminal they have on file at the KCPD, and the more in-depth files that the speedster kept at home. Three boxes worth of those files were waiting for Hartley when he arrived, along with two boxes of actual work which he left on the processing table. 

This particular case file that he's looking through, it really was a case. The small gas station just across the Central-Keystone Bridge had been burnt down and there were several motorcycle tracks in the vicinity. What the KCPD could figure out was that two of them decided to head East, and the rest were headed for Central City, but unable to proceed further. 

As for why KCPD caught this case and not CCPD? One of the bikes had also gotten blown to smithereens and there was enough of the license plate to reveal it's a Keystone plate. 

Plus, this also seemed to fall in line with the possible migrations of criminals, hence here he was, the chosen one for this particular case. Wally was right in sending this one along to him, as Hartley does have the means to track those biker criminals down. 

Pulling up his home network, Hartley quickly typed out an email and sent it over to the Hunter computer at Wayne Manor. Even though both Floyd and Victor were here in Central City, he knew they check their messages on the heavily secured computer frequently. 

Switching back over to the CCPD network, pulling up the live feeds of several security cameras spread around the precinct, Hartley leaned back in his chair, his mind wandering to the past week. 

Monday, he had come in to work with Kyle but had ended up abducted if he could even call it that; was a very mediocre capture at best. It was late that night when he got home again. Tuesday was when some Death Force parasites were found within Healing which prompted the others to find their Healer, which turned out to be Doctor Rob, much to the delight of everyone in both Networks. That evening was their Force Network meeting that Guardian Gideon even appeared for. 

Wednesday, Hartley had planned to return to work but he still felt weak, needed more time to replenish his energies. A call to Captain Singh had revealed that Rob had already told him everything. Hart was then threatened to not return to work until Monday or he'd be fired. He had to smile at that, seeing as here he was at work on a Friday, and hasn't been fired yet. 

Wednesday and Thursday was mostly just him at home resting, and using up some of his newly replenished energies whenever Barry caught him in his sights. And building some new sensor devices. 

Wednesday afternoon, after a quick visit from Gonzalez, Barry did head out to the Grove, while Hartley watched the monitors at home that were bringing in the FlashCam feed. Unfortunately, due to interference in the area, he was only able to pick up scattered audio, and no visual at all. Barry seemed excited about the Grove but wouldn't say much of anything as he really wanted Hartley to see for himself once he was feeling stronger. They did, however, discover that night, with the assistance of Calvin, that there were sky pulses above the Grove that interfered with the camera. With a shock-rod in hand, newly fueled by both the energies of Pulse and Lightning, Barry was able to knock those blasted things out of the sky. Overnight and into Thursday was devoted to building their own pulse devices which Barry and Calvin then surrounded the Grove with; a temporary solution until the intended Shielding was in place. Their sensor devices are on the Hunter frequency and will alert them to any dangers. Little did they realise that Gonzalez would flick his tail against one of the sensors repeatedly because the Meta Mouse found it delightful when Hartley would check in on the newly installed monitor. 

Closing his eyes, Hartley smiled at how much Gonzalez adored him. He'll have to get out to the Grove that weekend, see what Barry wanted him to see, make sure both Gonzalez and Kishindo had everything they needed. 

Lost in thought with the weekend plans, Hartley paid no mind to the metallic thunk on his desk. 

"Dismantle that," came the cool tone. 

Not even flinching, not even bothering to open his eyes, Hartley let loose his own cool response. "No." 

"This is NOT a request," the voice growled out. 

Hartley sighed, yet remained motionless. "Jimmy, what makes you think I have any interest in dismantling the gun you just slammed onto my desk? It's fully loaded by the way, and can you please put the safety on and turn it around to face you rather than directly at me?" 

"Just doing my duty in making sure all members of the CCPD are fully aware of a very key important piece of STANDARD equipment," Jimmy stated while reaching out for the gun. "Honestly, why the bloody hell you and Allen are the sole exceptions around here ... " 

Hartley heard the words trail off and immediately popped his eyes open as the hammer clicked. 

"Really, did you even go to the Academy before the Captain brought you in? I know everyone else here has, even Allen, but you... there's no record of you ever attending the Central City Police Academy, nor any mention of any Academy outside the city. Do you even know how to handle a gun?" 

Hartley barely heard a word Jimmy said, his entire focus on the gun a few inches from his nose, waving around as the douche rambled on about an Academy. His own hand was at the ready as ... 

There it was, the very faint twitch of the trigger finger, which might not have been strong enough to pull the trigger but Hartley really had no idea how much pressure was required on this particular revolver that Jimmy was holding, knowing full well that each piece was different in its trigger response time. 

Left wrist flicking, Hartley slammed the point of the small kunai into the barrel of Jimmy's gun, effectively cutting off the premature discharge, the sound muffled. 

"What the fucking hell you doing up here?!" 

Despite his focus being completely on Jimmy and unable to see the newcomer, Hartley recognised the deadly tone of his friend, Kenneth. It was only then that Hart remembered to breathe, to blink. Loosening his muscles, however, was something else entirely. His body remained on critical alert, very tense, ready to attack or defend as needed. 

He barely took notice of Jackson coming around to put his own hand on the gun, jamming a finger behind the trigger, then popping the safety ON before wrenching the gun out of Jimmy's grip. To his horror, Jimmy grinned radiantly while half-turning to address Kenneth. 

"Nothing to worry about, Kenny. I was merely extending Hartley an invitation for some lessons in firearm safety. I figure, seeing as he doesn't carry a piece, he might not be up-to-date on ... " 

Kenneth had approached Jimmy during the crazy insane explanation, his eyes blazing with deadly intent, then draped an arm over Jimmy's shoulder. He spoke in a friendly manner that was dripping with poison. 

"Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, you know you can't just go around the precinct asking people to attend your firearm safety classes. For one thing, you don't even have a license to teach such things. I'd hate for you to accidentally get shot by someone who really doesn't know to handle a gun, right?" 

Hartley watched, mesmerised by how smoothly Kenneth spoke to Jimmy while steering him toward the door, all the while Jimmy being oblivious to the venom in that sweet tone. 

"Sweet!" Jackson's awed tone cut into his thoughts, causing him to turn his attention to his friend. It was only then that Hartley noticed the kunai was no longer in his hand. 

"Not as large as the ones normally seen but is small enough to be easily hidden inside a sleeve," Jackson began to gush. "Look at how smooth and shiny this thing is, very well cared for and the balance is perfect for nimble fingers. Not something that Kenny would be able to master as he has an incredibly strong grip and thick fingers, but I know you can get kunai with different weights and balances to them to fit all sorts of ... " 

All the tension poured out of his body as Hartley slumped back in his chair, grinning at Jackson's rambling. He quickly turned to fits of annoyed giggles as Jackson decided to go searching for other hidden items. He then felt a very familiar gust of wind followed by extreme annoyance, a deadly calm, and some crackling of electricity. 

"Jaaaaaaackson," came the long, drawn-out tone especially when one roaming hand got a little too below his belt. 

"Busy," Jackson told the other, as another pocket was found, hand dipping in... "Aaaack!" 

"Mind telling me why your hands are all over MY partner?" Barry growled as he pulled Jacks away. "You got your own guy to get all handsy with. Go grope him!" Putting action to words, Barry grasped both of Jackson's hands and plastered them on Kenneth's chest as the big guy returned from dealing with Jimmy. 

Hartley winced before it happened. Jackson had found a device in that one, _very specific_ pocket that has a unique reason for existence and... well... Hart took that opportunity to escape his desk, sneak around the threesome, and dash to the door just as he heard the first sounds of crackling against Kenneth's chest. He had just locked the door behind him as Kenneth's voice turned from seething anger to something a lot more pleasurable. He popped a circular sound dampener device next to the doorknob, flicking the switch before he headed downstairs. No need for the entire precinct to hear what Kenneth was currently undergoing. 

\----------------------------------------------

Finishing his conversation with Rob and pocketing his cell phone, Captain David Singh absently reached out to rub the sleeping feline's head, finding just the right spot to scratch behind the ear. Rob was doing good, great actually, adapting perfectly to his inner energies but finding it a bit of a challenge to not actively use the Healing powers at work when people were watching. 

Speaking of Healing, David switched his computer monitor over to a security cam feed from the Lab upstairs. He tuned in just as Kenneth was tossing Jimmy out of the Lab and Jackson was... well, he really wasn't sure what Jackson was doing but based on Allen's reaction upon arrival, David really didn't want to know. 

Flicking the monitor off, he sighed, giving Cleo a final pat on the head, then headed for his office door. Leaning against the doorframe, David gazed out over the main floor of the precinct, where majority of the desks were, the detectives, officers, the tech corner, the copier corner where he saw a fuzzy red tail mingling with a fuzzy dark tail amidst a pile of shredded paper... 

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that an actual, genuine smile from the most cold-hearted Captain ever in the history of this precinct?" 

David snorted but his smile remained as he turned to his best detective, Joe West. "They may be nuisances but they increase moral around here considerably. I've not had a single complaint about work conditions in weeks. I have a right to smile about that." 

"Talking about Barry and Hart again?" Gagne, the senior CSI came up and handed a folder to him. 

Only in his late 30s, everyone looked up to Gagne for his invaluable knowledge and uncanny ability to find out the truth of things out in the field. He's also the oldest CSI currently at the CCPD as Jimmy is only 32, and both Allen and Hartley are 27. That's all they have for CSI due to budget cuts. Well, technically, David only has three CSIs but snuck Hartley in under-the-radar, labeling him an Assistant rather than a full CSI. Everyone knew the truth about things, but the government certainly didn't need to know that Hartley does more than just looking at a computer screen all day. 

"... 'k, Cap?" 

David blinked, then scowled at his own inattentiveness. "Fine, fine, yes," he growled into those violet eyes that had momentarily sparked amber. He ran a hand through his hair to distract himself from Calvin's beaming grin. "Don't you have some piece of tech to destroy?" 

Calvin's beam turned to one of shock. "Wow, you really do know what my special skill is. As a matter of fact, in Gagne's box, there's this really cool ... " 

David shook his head as he tuned out the young tech. He watched as Jimmy materialised from wherever Kenneth tossed him, then Gagne hurried over to him grasping his arm, hauling Jimmy off to their own Lab downstairs. Joe got a call on his cell phone and hurried off with his partner, Patti Spivott in tow. Calvin was still rambling on about something and only stopped when Nimbus came up behind him and thumped him on the head. 

That was when David caught sight of Hartley approaching them. An idea came to him based on what Rob had revealed to him earlier in the week. "Hartley, a word?" 

"Sure?" came the reply as David turned, heading back into his office. 

He approached his desk, depositing the folder he was given upon it, and remained standing in front of it. He didn't turn around until he heard the click of the door, the lock engaging. Taking another moment to collect his thoughts, David scratched a purring Cleo before leaning back against the front of his desk. With his eyes, he directed Hartley to sit, while Nimbus remained standing at the door. 

David really didn't know how to begin so he asked the most obvious question. "How are you feeling?" 

"Fine?" Hartley said with a tilt in his head, gazing up at David. "I mean, I'm here, right?" 

Oh, this was going to be a fun conversation, David thought sarcastically. "Did I not tell you to not return until Monday?" 

Hartley thought that over for a moment before replying. "Yes, you did." 

Simple response and to the point, but without reasoning. "Energies?" David asked. 

A shrug of the shoulders. "Normal." 

David sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why are you here?" 

He couldn't be certain but David thought he felt the mood in the room drop, which made absolutely no sense. The reply came barely audible and nearly sent a shiver up his spine as it sounded so cold, detached, unfeeling. "Bored. Needed distraction. Here I am." 

David glanced up at Nimbus, catching the other's usual blank expression, but saw the concern in those grey eyes. Glancing back down at Hartley, he saw how his friend sat there stiffly, eyes glazed over, barely seeing anything. 

"Talk to me," David requested, keeping his own voice soft and quiet. He knew that look in Hartley's eyes, the haunting look where his friend was lost in his memories. He's seen it a few times a few years ago but this is a first since Hart returned to the precinct. 

"It's true, I could be at home working on my projects, a shielding system, renovations, going through the requests I have, but..." Hartley's shoulders sagged slightly in hesitation before continuing. "Here is better for me, right now, the case files, everyone, activities, distractions, a sense of _normalcy_. At home, I wander, my thoughts, I think stuff... interesting things, possibilities, plans, how to find what I need..." 

The words trailed off, those worrying words, as David watched those green eyes turn darker and darker. He had never heard Hartley speak this way before. "What is it you think you need?" David asked. 

In response, Hartley raised his hand to stare at the back of it while curling and uncurling his fingers. "Nothing, everything, uncertain. I want to feel that again. They tried, they really did but incompetency got in the way, inferiority, wasn't the same. I need better." 

Silence. 

For the next five minutes, the only sound in the office came from the sleeping Cleo on his desk. It's natural for Nimbus' breathing to not be heard, it's unnatural to not hear any breaths from Hartley, and that really bothered David. He stood there, staring at his younger friend, watching the activity in those eyes, as they darkened to nearly total black, then flickered, and now they were starting to lighten again, a breath was finally revealed by the slight ripple in his chest. 

"Here you are! Geeze, you didn't have to lock the door." 

In that single instant, Hartley's eyes sparked a bright blue, coming out of his memories, as Allen stepped neatly around Nimbus and wrapped his arms around his partner. David didn't even need to wonder about how Allen entered a locked office that was clearly guarded by a deadly Hunter; Allen will always find a way to get to Hartley, no matter the obstacles in his path. 

"You're blinky, why you blinky?" 

David held back his sigh at those childish-sounding words as he was inwardly amazed and pleased at how easily Hartley relaxed into those arms. He could actually see the warmth flowing into the chilled skin, the eyes vibrant and full of life again. 

"You must have a key," Hartley replied, ignoring the question. 

"Uh..." Allen blinked as Hartley stood up, arms never once loosening their hold. 

"Honestly," came the fond, exasperated tone, complete with a smile. "Come on, we'll search your apartment until we find it." 

And with that, David watched as Hartley grasped Allen's hand and pulled him toward the door, Nimbus neatly stepping aside to let them exit. 

"Nimbus?" David asked the Hunter, clearly not understanding what just happened. 

Clicking the door shut again, Nimbus turned back to him. "Happening more often this week, the detachment, lack of awareness, forgetting we are here. Thought it was part of the parasites that infiltrated Healing but..." Nimbus shook his head. "We'll scan him again this weekend, likely we missed something." 

"I don't think that will be necessary," David stated, a thought coming to mind. "It's becoming more obvious he's suffering from some form of PTSD. I've seen it a lot over the years, all my officers and detectives go through it at some point in their careers, some have yet to experience it." He sighed heavily, not liking the thought of the younger staff encountering some crisis in the future that will affect them, change them, cause nightmares. 

"We are all keeping a close eye on Hartley," Nimbus supplied. "There are many of us now that are close to him, know what to watch for. We will keep him safe." 

David nodded. "Make sure Kenneth and Jackson are around more often, those two are my best officers to deal with trauma out in the field. They may be of some assistance." 

Nimbus revealed a very rare, warm smile. "They are as dedicated to keeping Hart safe as I am. Hart has complete trust in them, and I agree that they will be a great asset in helping him stay strong." 

"Good." 

David's cell phone rang right then. Answering, he watched as Nimbus put on his blank expression again, and headed out. Just before the door clicked shut, he saw the two officers approach the Hunter, Kenneth scowling, Jackson cheerful, as always. David smiled as he sat down in his chair, listening to his fiancé's current rambling about this Mr Jennings. Glancing up at the clock, he saw that it was the lunch hour. Leaning back, he sighed contently; he could listen to Rob's soothing voice for hours, no matter the topic. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Geeze, feels like it's been forever since we were last here," Barry announced as they reached the top of the stairs, searching through his pockets for a key that wasn't there. 

"Honestly," Hartley smiled fondly as he shoved his partner aside and inserted his own key, the door clicking open. 

Barry entered his apartment happily, always having felt warm and comforted by being home. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply... 

Snapping his eyes open, he glanced around wildly until they landed on the biggest dick in the Multiverse. 

"You're breaking into MY apartment now? MY APARTMENT?!" Barry roared as he approached the Gotham Hunter. "This is MY place, not yours, so get your slimy fat ass out of MY APARTMENT!" 

Ignoring the smirk and the casual stance, Barry gripped the front of Floyd's shirt and hauled him to the door where he then tossed out the pesky intruder. He didn't even think about how easily that was done, instead turning back to Hartley. 

"I swear to god if that jerk comes in here one more time..." 

"...ovely to see you, dear. Still on for tonight, hmm?" 

The sweet tone interrupted his rant. His blood broiled with the next voice. 

"Most definitely, Mrs C. You just make sure the others are seated comfortably." 

"Such a wonderful day this is! The others will be quite pleased. Oh, hello boys! You came home at just the right time." 

Mrs Cleary wandered into the apartment, positively beaming while carrying a container. "I just finished a new batch of cookies plus a few cinnamon rolls. I have more than enough for our little meeting tonight so these are extras for you boys to tide you over for now." 

"Mmm, your cookies are truly the greatest creation in the world, Mrs C," Floyd gushed while snatching one from the container. 

Fuming, Barry glared at the jerk. "Didn't I just..." 

Floyd pecked Mrs Cleary on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight, beautiful." He then dashed out the door shoving the rest of the cookie in his mouth. 

"We'll be back just before 6:00," Victor told Hartley. It was only then that Barry realised that Vic was also there. He watched as the Hunter accepted a cookie and headed out. 

"The heck?" Barry mumbled as the door clicked shut. 

"Don't you know?" Hartley said while reaching for a chocolate chip cookie. "They've been staying here while in Central City." 

"They WHAT?!" Barry couldn't believe what he just heard. Couldn't ... didn't want to even _think_ about Floyd poking around his private things. 

"They've been a real joy to have around these last few weeks," Mrs Cleary spoke up as she placed the container on the table. "Always so helpful and very sweet." 

"Sweet?!" Barry croaked out. "Oh, gods, I gotta clean up this place. Likely a lot of mutated _things_ lurking about." 

Completely forgetting that Mrs Cleary was still in the apartment, Barry zipped around cleaning every single inch of the place. He was determined to rid his apartment of that foul stench, erase all evidence of that dick being in HIS apartment. After all, this was his apartment, nobody else's, and he felt safe here, in his apartment, where no dirty piece of crap should enter. Ever! 

\----------------------------------------------

"What's this meeting?" Hartley asked Mrs Cleary, tuning out his partner's constant whining about HIS apartment. He didn't think Barry realised he was growling his thoughts out loud. 

"Oh!" Mrs Cleary's eyes sparkled as she turned to him. "We have a new landlord and everyone is tickled pink about it! The meeting is the official introduction and to go over any concerns and plans. I've a hunch there's some renovations in the near future." 

Hartley's own eyes lit up in interest as Mrs Cleary spoke happily. "What happened to that other one?" For the life of him, he could not come up with the name of that greasy-looking landlord. 

"Mind you, I'm not in the habit of listening at my door, but I was checking my kitty door and just happened to overhear some tasty tidbit of information. It was on rent collecting day, Mr Grassi came about on the fourth rather than the first, and you boys weren't here but those two lovely ones most certainly were. Mr Grassi was increasing all our rents again and was quite rude about it, and he didn't seem to care just who he was talking to so long as he got his money. Now, that smooth handsome one, oh, it was a real sight to see, he literally sent Mr Grassi packing, and we haven't heard from him since." 

Mrs Cleary leaned in close, about to impart a very important secret. "We all still have our rent money and if you promise not to say anything, I'm thinking about a shopping trip to get the kitties some new things, blankets, cuddly toys, stock up on the food they like, maybe even a new lipstick for myself." She giggled like a young school girl. 

"Ewwwwww," came the wail from the bathroom, interrupting their little gossip session. 

"Now, then," Mrs Cleary began as she headed for the door. "I best be getting on my way, finish up in my apartment. Everyone is due at 6:00, hear?" She paused at the door and sent him a stern look over her shoulder, the kind that meant he had best obey. 

"Sure, we'll be there," Hartley told her, smiling all the while. "If you need any assistance..." 

A thud from the bedroom interrupted him, and Mrs Cleary chuckled. "I'm sure I'll be fine, dearie. You already have your hands full here, hmm?" 

With an amused glint in her eye, Mrs Cleary exited the apartment. 

Shaking his head in amusement at the continued noises from the bedroom, Hartley headed over and got more than his money's worth in entertainment, as he expected. He stood there watching his partner zip around building a huge pile of clothing, the mattress flipped over at least seven times, floor swept, mopped, vacuumed, and every surface became super sparkly shiny. 

Something in the pile caught his attention. "Uh, you do realise there's a lot of your stuff in there?" 

"Huh?" Barry halted in front of him, then turned to inspect the pile. "Huh..." 

Hartley watched as Barry went through the pile, sniffing each piece of clothing, and created two piles. 

"Why does his scent have to be on EVERYTHING?!" Barry whined. 

"Oh, relax," Hartley told him as he knelt down to inspect the two piles. "It's not all that bad. We can do laundry. I'll just make sure not to mix the offensive articles with ours, okay?" 

"Huh? You have clothes here?" 

Hartley blinked. How the heck Barry could be so dense ... scratch that, he can believe it all too easily. 

"Honestly," he muttered while creating a third pile of articles he plucked out from both piles. "See? This pile is mine." He pushed his pile into Barry's pile. "This pile is ours. Understand?" 

"Huh..." Barry repeated. 

Standing up again, Hartley went to the closet and rifled through the shirts hanging up. After a moment, he found what he was looking for. He smiled at the old shirt from several years ago, a dark green long-sleeve shirt full of holes, well, tears actually. 

Turning back around, he addressed his confused partner. "I've always had clothes here, Barry. Remember this shirt?" He tossed over the garment and watched as Barry ran his hands over it, seeing the memories emerging behind those sparking yellow eyes. 

"This..." Barry awed. 

"Yes," Hartley confirmed. 

"I bought this for you and you wore it on your first day to STAR Labs. You looked so hot in it, I couldn't wait to finish my day at the Academy." 

"Hence this tear right here," Hartley knelt down and fingered the rip halfway up the left side. 

Barry snorted at the memory. "Not my fault the lady sold me a shirt that was two sizes too small, and you didn't bother fighting off my advances. As awesome as this shirt is, why bring it up?" 

"My point, Barry," Hartley leaned in close, "is that I've had clothing here in _our_ apartment ever since we first moved in together after college. This shirt is only one of many that are still mixed in with your clothing. Even when you were back living with Joe, my clothing was brought along with you. Now you're in this apartment, and my clothing are still with you, hanging up neatly in the closet, folded nicely in the dresser. I even added more over the past couple months, just as you've added some of your clothing to my bedroom." 

"Huh..." Barry repeated, again, but with a difference. It was a more interested tone rather than confused, followed by a grin, and a devious sparkle. 

Hartley had intended to kiss his partner to ease the confusion, but instead found himself scrambling backward as Barry advanced upon him. He quickly found the wall with nowhere to go. Barry had him effectively trapped, and Hartley didn't feel overwhelmed in the slightest. 

He wasn't entirely sure how Barry was going to attack, but he certainly wasn't expecting what the speedster was doing right then. Barry sniffed him. More accurately, he buried his nose in different parts of Hart's shirt and inhaled long and deep. 

"Uh, Barry?" 

"Mmm, your shirt smells like you," Barry replied with a giddy grin on his face. The old shirt was then pulled over and Barry sniffed it. "After all these years, this shirt is still you." 

Seeing the perfectly blissed out expression, Hartley understood. "It's why you feel so comfortable in your own apartment, because of me." 

"And down by the river," Barry agreed. "Who knew scent could be such a powerful force in our daily lives." 

"Mmm," Hartley took that moment to lean up and kiss his partner. "Who knew our senses could be useful. Sight, Hearing, Touch, Scent..." 

"You taste good," Barry giggled. "Like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies mixed in with your sweetness." 

Hartley snorted at that comment. "I hardly think I'm sweet..." 

Barry cut him off by pressing his lips to his again, effectively rendering him immobile, seated as he was on the floor, back pressed heavily against the wall. Barry was kneeling between his legs, hovering above him, while pressing their lips harder together. 

Hartley no longer remembered what "laundry" was. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Oh, good! You finally mmph..." 

Hartley rolled his eyes as he stepped around both his Gotham partner and his Speedster partner, leaving them to their usual clash at the door. 

Gazing around the lovely room, he saw that nearly everyone had arrived. Mr Sellers was seated comfortably with the newest kitten Sparky on his lap, purring happily. Mrs Tierney, who lives across the hall from Mr Sellers, was seated next to him on the sofa with Scratches in her own lap. A sound from the kitchen suggested that Mrs Cleary must be getting drinks together. 

Just as Hartley aimed for the kitchen to help her out, Joyce from downstairs arrived, expertly stepping around the two combatants. 

"Oh, hello dear," Joyce beamed at him. "You go grab a seat, I'll help Margie." 

Hartley watched amazed at how the cheerful, whistling Joyce stepped lightly between flailing arms and legs without upsetting the two pies she was carrying. Trying his best not to salivate at the freshly baked lemon meringue pie, he shook his leg free of a grasping hand and escaped to the seating area. 

"...ful piece," Mrs Tierney was saying. "That boy is ever so thoughtful. Oh! Hartley, it is so good to see you again. How've you been, dear?" 

"I'm doing well," Hartley told her while taking a seat on the oversized chair across from them. "Work has me busy, lots of cases to go through. How have you two been?" 

"Wonderful!" Mrs Tierney replied happily. "It's been quite the month with good changes in the air. You've been working so hard so you might not know this but we have a new landlord and we're all so pleased that old creep was sent packing." 

Hartley smiled at the news. "Mrs Clearly did mention something of the sort, and told us to be here." 

"Right glad you're here, too," Mr Sellers spoke up, which startled Hartley as Sellers was deaf. His hearing aids never allowed for him to follow a conversation perfectly, and be able to speak normally, without being too loud. 

"The old bastard robbed us blind, gettin' no work done around the place. Washer downstairs keep flooding, dryer won't dry, bloody hot in my apartment, windows are stuck, freezer on the blink, and the handrail on dem stairs broke again." 

Mrs Tierney picked up the tale. "Ol' Grassi only came about looking for money and to remind us of where we'd be if we didn't have rent on time. I swear, the few times he hired plumbers to check out the apartments, my hidden cookie jar was moved slightly. Thankfully, I only ever keep some special photographs in that jar, but I did notice a few dollars have gone missing from my nightstand. I usually keep all my money in the bank but I like to keep a few dollars on hand for emergencies and Girl Scout Cookies. Those things are nearly as good as Margie's cookies." 

"Nothing beats my cookies," Mrs Cleary declared as she came over, placing a huge platter of cookies and cinnamon rolls on the coffee table. "I expect every single one to be eaten tonight, hear?" 

Hartley had no choice but to grin, especially when Mrs Cleary directed that last comment to him, in that motherly tone that says he best eat. He has never known the dear lady to not have her stove and oven going, always cooking, baking, making sure everyone in the building was well fed. 

"Your cookies are definitely the best, Mrs Cleary," he told her while reaching for one loaded with macadamia nuts. He was grateful that nobody in the building had a nut allergy as he really does love the white chocolate chip with macadamia nuts cookies the best. 

Just as he popped the cookie into his mouth, Hartley felt a heavy weight behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Victor had appeared and dropped Barry unceremoniously on the chair right behind him. He then saw Floyd approaching while straightening his shirt. 

"I nearly had him," Barry growled in his ear while straightening himself out. 

"Sure you did," Hartley told him with a grin, readjusting his seating on the chair so Barry's legs had room to spread out on either side of him. The wiggling from behind him only stopped when he handed Barry two cookies. 

Reaching for his drink, Hartley ducked his head as Floyd got a little too close while snagging a cookie for himself. He saw the Hunter smirk at him before heading to the front of the group to face everyone. Victor claimed the vacant chair next to his own. 

"Now, then..." Floyd began. 

"Boo, down in front!" Barry interrupted which caused the seniors to laugh. 

"Oh, hush, this is important," Hartley told him, barely holding back his own laughter. 

"What's so important about a douchebag sending us all to an early grave whenever he opens that foul mouth of his?" 

"If you will kindly shut up and listen, I'll tell you," Floyd replied, glaring daggers at Barry. 

Barry huffed and settled back into the cushy chair, legs securely locking Hart's into place. "Oh, fine. Sooner you start talking, sooner you can stop." 

"Exactly!" Floyd said cheerfully. "Now, as I was saying..." 

"Oooh! You got yourself a nice new cane," Joyce interrupted, inspecting Mr Sellers cane. 

Mr Sellers beamed. "Aye, right I did and damn glad for it. Loaded with security features and extra legs on that there bottom, pop out as I need 'em. Buttons in the handle, pop out the legs, shows time, a beeper, alert button, and one that signals 911 or sumtin." 

"My, that's really fancy and very much needed," Mrs Cleary awed. "Never have I seen such a cane on the market anywhere." 

"That there young whippersnapper gave it to me last night when he stopped by to check on my new implants." Mr Sellers directed his prideful gaze to the one he spoke of, Floyd Lawton. 

To his amusement, Hartley watched the deadly Hunter blush at the attention and tried to wave off the compliment. 

"That's enough of that, was only doing my duty in looking out for my investments," Floyd said to a room full of cheery giggles. 

"What investment?" Barry asked, confused. 

Hartley blinked and turned to look at him. "Don't you know? We were just discussing it earlier." 

"Before or after laundry piles?" 

"Honestly," Hartley sighed as he turned back around, taking a drink of his cappuccino. "Do you even know why we're here?" 

"Hmm," Barry thought that over for a moment. "Yes, Mrs Cleary said this was a meeting with the new landlord seeing as the old one went on vacation or something." 

"Hence, here we are," Hartley smiled as he leaned back comfortably. 

The room was silent for a good two minutes before realisation finally struck. 

"Oh, HELL NO! You can't be serious?!" Barry whined. 

"Better believe it, Sparky, I'm the new landlord around here!" Floyd announced, receiving a soft meow in reply from the kitten curled up on Mr Seller's lap. 

"Just kill me now," Barry groaned. 

"How did this come about?" Hartley asked, while elbowing his partner to keep quiet. He only knew what little information Mrs Cleary was able to impart to him earlier that afternoon. 

"Very easily," Floyd answered, capturing everyone's attentions, including the three felines in the room. Fireball had sauntered in and took a spot on Victor's shoulder. 

Floyd hauled out some sheets of paper from his back pocket and scanned them. 

"First up, the big issue was rent. The sleaze was ripping you guys off big-time. When he came around earlier this month, he was increasing the rent. You guys," Floyd glanced at Hart and Barry, "were paying $1700 a month and was about to be upped to $2000." 

"The hell?!" Barry spat out. "Rent is only $800, same as when I first moved in the second time." 

"Hmm, the records do indicate you owe a lot for rent," Floyd muttered while scanning the paper. "But, seeing as there was no contract, no written agreement or anything, I can wipe that off the table." 

Barry snorted, and Hartley caught the stray thought that Barry knew just how Floyd planned to "wipe out" the missing rent payments. Hartley had to grin at the unspoken thought; Barry knew Floyd amazingly well. 

"As for you folk," Floyd continued, the mischievous sparkle still in his eyes, "you were ranging from $1200 to $1500 and how you managed _that_ is beyond anyone's guess." 

"What?!" Barry growled out. "How the hell was that guy getting away with that?!" 

"It's true, we had to cut a lot of corners just to pay the rent," Mrs Cleary spoke up quietly. "It's part of why we help each other out so much. Now, I get a little something extra from my sister's grandson each month, to help out the kitties, so I'm a bit better off than the others but..." She trailed off, ending in a sigh. 

"Truth. Damn beggar made me miss my last three hearing appointments. Only one aid was barely working. Then this one," Mr Sellers directed at Floyd again, "got me to an appointment and gone and gave me some new implants. Can hear much better than dem old things and feel good too." 

Hartley nearly gushed at the information, fully understanding. "Your hearing aids and cane, Floyd made them." He now knew that Mr Sellers was sporting Hunter tech, items that officially don't exist, are top-notch on the planet, not sold anywhere... oh, Mr Sellers was quite fortunate to have such items! 

"Aye, says from Wayne Tech but I'm no senile ol' fool, I know he gots tech smarts. Could tell he put a lot of heart into these." 

"Again, just doing my duty, Mr S," Floyd told him. "Nobody should have to miss their appointments due to some greedy old bastard. So when he came around collecting rent, I sent him packing. Got on the phone to the lawyers, then by the end of the day, this building was put into my name, along with the empty lot out back." 

Barry snorted. "And with what money? Your... uh, line of work can't be all that profitable, can it?" 

"Oooh, that's where you're wrong, Sparky," Floyd's eyes lit right up. "My security work does net me a half-decent paycheque, my other _duties_ are hit or miss on the payments. However, you're forgetting just _who_ I work for." 

Hartley blinked. "You didn't..." 

"Oh, I did. You're not the only hacker in the world," Floyd was positively beaming. "Tapped into Ol' Brucie's private account. He has so much in there, he won't know he's missing a few measly dollars." 

Hartley couldn't believe what he was hearing, and Victor's chuckle next to him wasn't helping matters any. "But..." 

"Don't worry about a thing, cutie. I'll explain it to Brucie whenever he inquires about it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping me invest in a new apartment building that has our best interests at heart." 

"New?" Barry puzzled. 

Floyd did the perfect imitation of the Cheshire cat. "Oh, yes, my dense li'l compadré. I have decided to improve upon what Ol' Grassi has done. I must admit, he has put a _unique_ charm into the place, but honestly, it's really not my style. So I'm renovating the place." 

"You mean Bruce is renovating the place," Barry retorted. 

"Now you get me," Floyd spun and pulled over a whiteboard that was sitting next to the wall. "My plan is start new. There's too many problems with this old building that it'd be far more ideal to blow the place up and erect a new building from the ashes." 

Joyce piped in with a concern that was quite visible on everyone's minds. "But, where will we go if you're tearing down this building? Margie has a place she can stay for a few days, but the three of us don't have such a luxury. Without this place, we'd be out on the streets." 

"I have thought about that and came up with the perfect answer," Floyd spoke soothingly, effectively easing everyone's concerns. "I am sending you four on a two-week vacation to Brucie's spot down in the Caribbean. Got a pretty little plane ready for my order to take you down." 

"Oooh, that sounds delightful!" Mrs Tierney gushed, the other seniors agreeing. 

"Does Ray know that you're stealing his Jet?!" Barry asked. 

"I like to think of it as 'borrowing' the plane," Floyd chuckled. "After all, what are friends for, hmm?" 

"How about using the Wayne Jet, hmm?" Barry retorted. 

Floyd dismissed the suggestion with his hand. "Bruce has it, out in Metropolis, if he's still there. Who knows where they are right now." 

Barry burst out laughing. "Some security you are, don't even know where the guy is that you're supposed to be protecting." 

"My security duties are best done at those fancy social events. I know how to keep the wolves away. Bruce is more than capable of looking after himself, especially when he's with that pompous alien." Floyd hissed out those last two words. 

"So, the renovations?" Hartley asked, intrigued by the idea of their building getting a much-needed update. "What exactly are your plans here?" 

"The very reason why we're here, sweets!" Floyd began, only to be interrupted by an alert sound mixed with a roar. 

"YESSSS!" Barry fist-pumped the air. "Gotta go, save me some cookies, love ya!" With a kiss and a gust of air, his partner zipped out. 

"I'll fill him in later," Hartley said to the others while settling back in the huge chair, feeling a bit embarrassed. It was only then that he realised the others didn't seem all that startled by Barry's sudden disappearance. Interesting, yet somehow not surprising. 

"Good, much easier to get through this without his constant distractions, whinyness, neediness..." 

"Oh, hush," Mrs Cleary's voice shut Floyd up completely. "That there is a good boy with the biggest heart I know. I'm mighty pleased that he's able to relax enough in my home. Lord knows he's so busy, he doesn't get a chance to wind down much." 

Hartley watched as Floyd blinked his eyes at the tone, and at how the other seniors added their own sentiments. Those grey eyes began to spark the blue of the Empath, the smile forming pure and genuine. 

"I know how you all feel, and I agree with you," Floyd spoke fondly. "Barry truly is the most kind-hearted soul I have ever met. I trust him completely. It's true, he's overworked and rarely gets a chance to relax. Part of my duty is seeing that he has a few moments to not think about his duties. While doing so, I am also training his mind, and testing his heart, making sure he's not too far gone. Hartley does that on a daily basis for Barry; when I'm around, I really put him to the test, see what all he's learned since our last clash." 

Hartley nodded as he picked up the explanation. "Floyd makes sure Barry is in no danger of hurting himself, hurting others, especially me. He makes sure we're properly in-sync with each other. Also, Barry's mind is never on his work or duties while Floyd is around, which gives him the rest he desperately needs. Shutting down the braincell is not easy. A constantly active braincell is easily burnt out and mistakes happen. In Barry's line of work, he can't afford for mistakes to happen, as that can get people killed." 

"I also help burn off some of his excess energies," Floyd continued. "Let the stress and tension grow, he's liable to explode and go into a rage. That can't happen when out in the field. So, believe me, I value Barry's existence as much as you all do, probably more. I just go about it in an unconventional way. He seems to enjoy it. Just, don't ever tell him I said such things!" 

The seniors, along with Victor, laughed at that last comment, everyone feeling calm again. 

"Okay, back to business," Floyd said after downing half a bottle of water. "As stated, you four are headed on vacation. I know it'll be difficult being away for that long, especially where your healths are concerned, and I have a solution for that. I'm sending down with you some of my good friends that will look out for you and get to know you better. There's a security guy, a nurse, her sister, their husbands, and the offspring of one of them. They'll have positions in the new apartment building and will see to your daily safety and health, make sure your medications are all up-to-date and tend to any concerns you may have." 

"Oooh, that sounds lovely," Joyce chimed in. "But wouldn't it raise the rent to have such fancy personnel in the building? I've seen some of those shows where buildings with doormen and security 24/7 are always so expensive looking, the tenants these handsome rich folk. We're not rich, remember. We're just barely getting by." The concern in her voice was clearly felt by everyone. 

"If you ask me, this whole building renovation has already been paid for by that thief with how much he ripped you off in rent," Floyd snorted. "Least I can do is offer you all some peace of mind and make sure you're well taken care of." 

"But, why do this for us?" Mrs Tierney asked. "It's more than enough that you booted that ol' bastard out the door and took over, but the renovation, the vacation, the lovely people you're bringing it, it's all too much." 

Floyd beamed at the concern. "Each of you are important in helping keep Central City safe. Making sure you're all okay, is making sure Central City is okay." 

Hartley knew exactly what Floyd meant. Based on the stray thoughts he's picking up from the others, he can sense they also understood. 

"Besides," Floyd smirked, "I'm bored, I have access to all this cash, I wanted to do something meaningful. Making sure my adorable boy is staying in a building that's not at risk of falling over during the next windstorm eases my own heart. Plus, the felines are cute. Gotta protect them." 

Hartley blushed while the seniors delighted in hearing that the kitties will be treated very well. That seemed to win them over completely. 

"Now, then, time for specifics," Floyd said while scanning his papers again, then made some notes on the whiteboard. 

"The obvious first concern is rent. None of you have anything to worry about. You three lovelies, and the handsome one, your rent will be $100 a month." 

That earned Floyd a collective stunned gasp, and Hartley could understand why. 

"Before you all panic, yes, that's only two zeroes after the one. One hundred dollars and not a single penny more, I won't accept it. Unless there are cookies and other tasty tidbits involved." Floyd took that moment to pop a cookie in his mouth, very much vocalising his appreciation for the treat. 

"Now, you're likely thinking about electricity, laundry, and other expenses, and I order you to put those concerns aside. Rent will include everything. Electricity, heat, cable television, internet, home phone, cell phone, laundry. You will also have access to security and in-house medical services 24/7. Speaking of security," Floyd hauled out a card. "You'll each be given an ID card that is proof that you live here. It will also act as your security pass to gain entry into the building, the elevator," another collective gasp, "and each of your apartments. They will also net you discounts at some local shops such as the pharmacy and grocery store." 

Floyd swiped another cookie while letting the seniors absorb his information, catching Hartley's eyes, and gave him a wink. 

"As for laundry, the machines will be top-notch, not on the market anywhere. And they will be located on your floor in their own spacious room, complete with tables, washbasin, hangers, laundry soap and anything else that such a room require. I'll make sure to add in wheelie baskets for easier transport of laundry. Believe me, those baskets can get dreadfully heavy." The sigh at the end earned a unified giggle from the seniors. 

"Our floor?" Mrs Cleary inquired. 

"Yes, pretty lady, your floor," Floyd announced happily. "No more of you four being separated by multiple floors. I'm putting in five apartments on your floor. Four will belong to you, you can choose which ones you want. The fifth apartment will be down on the end and will remain empty for now. I have an idea of who I want in there but will need to discuss with them first. The laundry room will be next to that apartment." 

"What about the boys?" Mrs Tierney asked. "Surely that fifth apartment would be theirs?" 

Floyd shook his head. "Nope. They'll be on the fourth floor, above the lounge floor." 

Hartley felt another wave of stunned shock from the seniors, and, he had to admit, Floyd was really outdoing himself. 

"The top floor will have a large suite for Hart, a smaller apartment for whenever Victor and myself are around, and a standard size apartment for our out-of-town guests. Barry can visit if he feels like it." 

Hartley had to roll his eyes at that but inwardly felt pleased that Floyd was making sure they were all being taken care of, especially the seniors. They were getting up there in age, and Hartley worried about them, especially Mr Sellers who was disabled and living on the third floor. What Floyd was doing was beyond incredible. There were no words to describe what was happening. 

"As for the lounge floor, I'm thinking of having it as a party room for you guys for your card games and such. Whatever you want up there, I'll see to it. Add in a bit of a bar area if you fancy a drink, television, seating area, or maybe a theatre section rather than just an ordinary television. I'll let you decide amongst yourselves how you want to use the space." 

Hartley smiled at how happy the seniors appeared. All of their basic needs, medical, security, entertainment were already being taken care of. What more could they want? 

"Minds off your wild parties and back to business, kids," Floyd interrupted a particularly giddy conversation after a few minutes. "Still got your own apartments to tackle. I'll let you design them however way you wish, they're yours after all. Just remember to make sure you each have a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, closets, seating area and the likes. Once you have suggestions all written down, I'll make sure your apartments are the best ever. One thing I will add, and there's to be no objection over this, is a collection of security buttons scattered throughout each unit. Most especially in the bathroom and the bedroom. Those buttons will alert the staff downstairs. If you have a security problem, medical problem, or even if a pipe bursts, you press a button and the staff will come straight up. Clear?" 

"Like those hospital buttons!" Joyce gushed over the idea. 

"These work better," Floyd said with a wink. "They will _always_ summon someone immediately, rather than having to wait too many minutes. Also, with your permission, I would like to add security cameras to your floor, just outside your doors and at each end of the corridor. The lounge floor as well." 

As Hartley expected, the seniors fully agreed to that. 

"Good. Now then..." 

"There's bloody more?!" Mr Sellers growled. "Ain't ya done enough already?" 

Floyd snorted. "Oh, fine, be that way. I'll just toss out my plans for the outdoor space, the garden, the trees, the pool and BBQ areas." 

"Oooh! Can we get one of those lovely Japanese rock gardens with the little water features?" Mrs Tierney chimed in. 

"You can have whatever your lovely heart desires," Floyd told her. "Just don't share with Mr Negative over there..." 

"Hrmph, I do enjoy a good steak on the grill, on occasion," Mr Sellers huffed out with a twinkle in his eye. 

"I'll see to it that you get your steak, on occasion," Floyd promised with a wink. 

"One final thing I should mention before we break up for the night," Floyd continued while looking up at the clock. It was close to 8:00 already. "The main floor will have a receptionist area when visitors come around. Nobody will be allowed upstairs without approval, so no solicitors, drug dealers, politicians, and creepy clowns. Every visitor will be greeted by the doorman, and check in at the desk. Big Griff will be there as your security guy and he knows to check each person out thoroughly. Your safety is my top priority. There will also be a seating area, a security office, medical room, kitchenette, along with an office for myself for whenever I want to deal with the monthly paperwork. Griff and the others will also have their own apartments on the main floor, so even if it's 3:00 in the morning, got a concern, they'll be at your door within moments. Any questions?" 

As expected, all four seniors began talking at once. Hartley watched as Floyd stood there calmly, taking in the barrage of comments and questions. Mrs Cleary was the one to put a cease-fire on the chatter when she sat straight up. 

"I must insist that each of our doors have a kitty door," Mrs Cleary declared while the others chimed in. 

"Oh, yes, that's a definite must!" Mrs Tierney agreed. "We do enjoy the kitties roaming around. Them two fiery ones are highly perceptive, always know when we need cheering up, always checking up on us. There was a night last week when Sellers' anxiety was so high that he could barely sleep. Our newest feline, Sparky, spent the night with him. Sellers woke up the next morning feeling well rested and high spirited." 

"Fur is warm, purrs are soothing, damn right I want this furball coming around all the time. You better install them kitty doors or I'll whip yer arse." 

"With all of us on the same floor, the kitties will have easier access to each of us," Joyce hummed in agreement. "I would also suggest easy access for them to get upstairs as well, to the lounge and to the boys' room. Right dear?" 

Joyce had looked straight at him and Hartley found himself nodding. "I agree. It's true, Fireball and Sparky are quite intelligent, more so than the average feline. Even Scratches is quite intelligent. Having the felines roam around as extra security is an excellent idea. I wouldn't mind having a kitty door on my door as well." 

Three meows of agreement were heard. 

"Fine, you'll get your furball doors," Floyd growled out fondly. "Any more crazy demands?" 

"Dishwasher would be nice," Sellers spoke up. "Not easy to do them dishes when one has arthritis in one hand." 

That prompted another half hour of chatter and notes by the seniors. During that time, Floyd collapsed on Hartley's chair, grinning all the while. 

"I think they're happy," Floyd spoke into his ear, wrapping arms around him. 

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Hartley retorted, feeling just as giddy as the seniors. "Thank you. This is beyond incredible. They're... important people. They help me and Barry out a lot more than we ever realised. To make sure they're well looked after, especially when we're not here..." 

Floyd reached up and pressed a finger to his lips. "Hush, I know. It's the least I can do. Bruce will likely agree that I haven't done enough. Your seniors, they are full of stubborn pride and know how to take care of themselves. After all they've been through, it's high time someone eased their burdens a little bit. I've grown quite fond of them myself these past few weeks." 

Feeling overwhelmed by the meeting, Hartley focused his attention on the crew. "Griff?" 

He felt the radiance flowing freely out of Floyd as the other held him tighter. "Yes! You remember, big, tall, brutish-looking Griff from a few years back? When you first came to visit?" 

"Hmm," Hartley thought back for a few moments, having some inkling of recognition. "That was the one who showed up in the middle of the night and hauled me out of bed and started beating on me, right?" Oh, he remembered fully now, and not having liked that piece of _surprise_ training at all. 

"Oh, don't go all scowly on me. If I remember correctly, you ended up beating the crap out of him. I never heard him laugh that much in years." 

"I thought he was still out on training missions?" Hartley asked, tuning out the memory of that attack. 

The memories fully waking up, he remembered Big Griff. Apparently, he had grown up with the Hunters and Bruce. Griff's dad was head of security at Wayne Manor at the time, and stuck close to Thomas Wayne much like Floyd does with Bruce. When the Waynes were killed, Griff's dad seemed to have disappeared, leaving Alfred as the sole caretaker of young Bruce. Griff stuck around, as had Floyd, Victor and Kyle, and grew up to become Bruce's primary security guy. 

Two years before Hartley first appeared in Gotham, Griff had gone off to do more training. Wanted to add in some more martial arts and new weaponry training, so he heard. That was when Floyd took over as Bruce's bodyguard. 

Fast forward to three years ago when Hartley entered Gotham, Griff appeared a few times at Wayne Manor when he was nearby and his training allowed for it. Despite his rough tactics, Griff was invaluable to Hart's own training. He began to wonder if some of Floyd's tactics were learned from Griff... 

"Mmm, I love the path your thoughts are on," Floyd cooed in his ear, interrupting the memories. "And you are very much correct. He was always the most... how shall we say, _affectionate_ of all of us growing up. A good struggle always gets his blood pumping. He knows all the best areas of the body to tackle, just how much it hurts and how to make it feel good. He's the best at skin ripples, twitches, seeing how the muscles move. Lenny's own mastery of the tiniest visual cues pales in comparison to Griff. Shall I mention some of the _training_ he had been undergoing? Let's just say it helped to heighten his senses and perception even more, along with stability, control and the likes." 

The more Floyd spoke in that husky voice of his, the more Hartley's body heated up. Despite the words sounding innocent enough in case of accidental-on purpose eavesdropping, Hartley caught every single meaning. 

"How about we adjourn this meeting and get you cooled off, hmm?" 

Hartley knew perfectly well how Floyd planned to "cool him down". That is best done by burning him to a crisp first. 

Floyd chuckled in his ear as Hartley attempted to wiggle free. "You know how I love your feistiness... the hell?!" 

Floyd loosened his grip as his attention was now focused on the pesky feline that appeared on Hartley's shoulder with a questionable "Mew?" close to his face. Fireball then licked Floyd's nose. 

Hartley took full advantage of the distraction to make his escape just as the seniors were finishing up. 

"Goodness, look at the time, it's 8:30," Mrs Tierney announced. "We best be going. Need to make sure Sellers takes his medication. Toodles!" 

The next five minutes were spent in farewells and gathering up some of the tasty treats for the others to take home. Joyce went with Mrs Tierney to help Sellers up the stairs. 

When Mrs Cleary found him hiding out in the kitchen, he had his fingers deep inside a slice of lemon meringue pie he saw earlier. 

"Honestly," Mrs Cleary sighed fondly. "There's a fork on the table you could have used." 

Hartley rolled his eyes and polished off the slice. "Forks only allow so much at a time. Much too time consuming." He neatly caught the cloth that was tossed at him as he was licking his fingers clean. 

Mrs Cleary chuckled at his words. "Quite the meeting, right? Always knew that was a sweet boy but none of us realised just how sweet." 

Hartley found it difficult to imagine Floyd as being sweet, but he felt the same sentiment as Mrs Cleary and the others. 

"Floyd is predictably unpredictable at the best of times," he told her while tossing the cloth into the sink. "I knew he had access to some privileges, but to go out of his way to actually buy the building and the two land properties, even I could not predict that." 

"Come now, I was here, so it wasn't out of my way at all," Floyd sauntered in and picked up a slice with his hand, earning a deadly glare from Mrs Cleary. "As stated, I had the funds, I wanted to splurge. Mmm, this pie is nearly as delectable as you are." 

"Don't eat it all, you jerk," came the whiny tone, followed by another slice being devoured by speedy fingers. 

"Mmm," was Floyd's seductive reply followed by how he was cleaning his fingers. Hartley just rolled his eyes. 

"Honestly," Mrs Cleary huffed as she turned away. "Least you could do is clean up the mess you made. I gotta check in on my kitties and make sure their bowls are filled and their beds ready." 

Two seconds after Mrs Cleary left, the kitchen became perfectly spotless, and the final slice of pie was won by the sneakiest of them all. 

"Harrrrrrrrrrt," Barry whined. "That was mine!" 

Hartley just smirked at his partner while polishing off the slice. It really was a damn good pie, best he's ever had. Perfect ending to a long meeting. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Mmm, as tasty as you are, you still stink of that jerk," Barry commented with a final lick around Hartley's lips. He made sure to do that little curl of his tip as he flicked at the corners of those delectable lips, catching any stray remnants of pie. That always left his partner writhing and giggling, a sound he most enjoyed. 

"Can't help it if he's always around," Hartley replied, escaping his grasp. 

"That's the problem!" Barry whined. "Why doesn't he just stay in Gotham? If he wanted to talk to you, I'm sure he knows how to chat in, or call, or something. He doesn't need to physically be here!" 

"Just for that, I'm evicting you from my building," Floyd sauntered into their apartment, unmindful of the door that should have been locked. "There will be a door fee charge of $10,000 anytime you wish to visit, hmm?" 

"Flooooooooyd," Barry whined again, then glared at the jerk as arms were wrapped tightly around HIS partner's waist and a tongue flicked out behind HIS territorial ear. 

"We do have business so we'll be back later," Victor spoke up. Barry hadn't realised Vic had also came in, as his entire focus was on that Gotham dick. 

"Business?" Hartley asked while squirming out of Floyd's grip. 

"Your Boss wants us to check around your Grove. Says he was seeing some abnormal readings on the sensors this afternoon. Might be nothing but figure we'd check it out." Victor grasped the back of Floyd's belt, shoving him toward the door. 

"Odd," Hartley muttered while checking his cell phone messages. "Anything about the Grove, I would know about, but I received no message." 

"Leonard didn't want to bother you this afternoon as you were in much need of some downtime. Your mouse hadn't appeared either so likely unimportant. This will just be a check-in to make sure everything looks good, and all the sensors are functioning properly. Could be something as simple as a tree branch upsetting a sensor." 

"Okay, bye," Barry said pointedly, making sure Victor caught his tone. He ignored the Hunter's death stare as the two left the apartment. 

"You didn't have to be so rude," Hartley told him. 

"Mmm, I'll make it up to Vic next time. Priorities." 

"Make sure you doomph..." 

Barry delighted in cutting off his partner's words as he devoured those sweet lips again. He was just about to pull the annoying always-in-the-way shirt off when he suddenly found himself with his back to the wall. 

"Now, then, we need to talk," Hartley spoke in that tone that always made his toes curl. The eyes were sparking blue, that tongue slightly peeking out to lick his bottom lip, hands gripping Barry's wrists against the wall, and... 

Barry blinked, realising that he was effectively immobile. He grinned at the thought of his Hart using THAT particular skill. 

"Mmm, about what?" Barry asked, attempting a wiggle to break free. Not that he wanted to break free; he just wanted Hart to know that he knew exactly what Hart was doing to him. And to go a little tighter, if Hart wanted to. 

Barry got his unspoken wish but not in the area he expected. "Gaaaah, li'l tight, too much pressure, too... too... daaaaamn..." his voice gurgled as his body shuddered. 

Much to his annoyance, Hartley appeared to be immune to Barry's ordeal, seemingly uncaring about how mushy he just turned his body, now drenched in both sweat and newly released fluids. He huffed quite vocally when Hart began speaking again. 

"I'm thinking maybe you should be a little nicer to Floyd?" 

Of all things that Hart could talk about, he chose the one thing that Barry least expected. "Huh? You're barely nice to the jerk as well." 

Hartley grinned at him, stepping closer to whisper in his ear. "I'm thinking, _extra nice_." 

That tone, the tightness in his limbs, that flutter of air inside his ear, that tender lick, those _words_ , were enough to send his entire body sparking on overload. It was a few minutes before he came to his senses again, the words actually sinking in. 

The words... sunk in... 

"Oh, HELL NO! No No No No NO FUCKING WAY!" Barry protested. "Ain't no way I'm doing any kind of threesome with that asshole! Count me out." 

"You are too easy," Hartley released him, laughing. "Damn, the way your body sparked, that was incredibly gorgeous!" 

"You... you..." Barry realised what just happened. His blasted partner was using his Empath skills on him, fueling those treacherous words, heightening his body's... 

"You did tell me to practice on you anytime," Hartley reminded him, then leaned in to kiss him the proper way. "Still, it won't quite kill you to increase your acceptance of Floyd by one single point. After all, he was nice enough to buy the building and is going to build a new one for everyone." 

Wrapping his arms around that tiny waist, Barry held his partner close. "Oh, fine, I admit he really didn't have to do that, but..." He wrinkled his nose at the thought of _liking_ Floyd, or maybe it was still the lingering scent of the douche. "I'll increase half a point and promise not to kill him the next time he lays a finger on you. No guarantees for the time after that. And you really need a shower to cleanse yourself of him. Pie is good, Floyd is not." 

Hartley giggled. "Deal on everything but the shower. Why waste water if I'm only going to shower again shortly afterward? I'm not exactly done..." 

The apartment door slammed open interrupting the thoughts of his Empath. Barry winced at feeling how rigid Hartley's body went. 

"Just the one I want to see!" 

Barry saw the fear in those pretty green eyes, the reluctance to pull away, and turn around. The tone in Hartley's voice was dead. 

"What brings you here?" 

"Come now, son, don't be like that. Don't you have a proper greeting for me?" 

Barry's eyes widened. Son?! That means... 

"None that I dare vocalise for fear of my neighbours overhearing through these paper-thin walls. The words that come to mind would surly stop their already poor hearts." 

"Still an impertinent slut without manners, I see," Osgood Rathaway growled with a dagger-like gaze. It was a few moments before he turned back to sweet business again, once Hartley's heartbeat reached near critical. 

"I'm here on business. Why don't we leave this tiny place, grab a bite at this fancy restaurant I know about, and discuss it there? That way we won't be overheard by your neighbours, risking their healths, hmm?" 

Barry stepped in. "Sir, we actually already have dinner plans tonight. Can we..." 

"Who the fucking blazes are you? And how dare you interrupt my conversation with MY SON?!" Mr Rathaway fixed him with the deadliest glare Barry had ever seen, and he's seen quite a bit over the years, especially these last few months. 

He hadn't realised that Rathaway had stepped closer until Hart raised his arm to halt the other's advance. 

"Fine, we'll go. Leave him out of it." 

Barry didn't like those words. "Hell, no I'm not staying out of it. He can't just break into my apartment and haul you away like he owns you. Besides, you're my..." 

Rathaway snorted. "You can't possibly be serious. Thought you grew out of that blasted phase by now? Or do you just crave sex that much, you'll get it from anything that moves?" 

"That's it..." Barry felt his eyes spark, felt the rage course through his body. He threw a punch at the elder Rathaway... 

...which was neatly intercepted by his own partner, who then turned him around and shoved him against the wall. 

"Huh, learned a few tricks, have you?" Rathaway mused. 

Hartley shrugged. "Had to learn to survive on the streets so, yeah. Thanks for that." 

"Anytime," Rathaway nodded. "Go get dressed, the place is extra fancy." 

"Fine," Hartley spat out and headed for the bedroom. 

Shaking his wrist, Barry glowered after Hartley until the bedroom door slammed shut. He also noticed his rage subsiding, putting him into a calmer state. Feeling a metallic weight, he glanced at his wrist to find a band neatly attached, one with a green bolt and sparkles of blue water. Interesting. 

Once his internal scan was complete, pleased with the results, Barry directed his gaze back to the elder Rathaway. He didn't get a chance to utter any words as the other beat him to it. 

"Whoever you are, just know that I don't like you. I don't know what my son's familiarity with you is, nor do I care, but I can assure you that once I knock some sense into him, you won't see him again. He already has a path to follow and that certainly doesn't include any miscreants like yourself. I'm sure you're a nice boy but Hartley won't have any time to stray from his duties. If you even have half a braincell in that skull of yours, you'll see that you are no match for my boy and will make the effort to stay away, as you understand what is best for him." 

The hell?! Barry so much wanted to lash out, to rage, to yell, scream, curse this bastard to hell and back but... but... he sighed. The soothing powers of the band didn't just hold back his powers, they calmed him as well. 

"Sir, for what it's worth, I don't believe you have any idea what is best for Hart..." 

"Let's go," Hartley interrupted as he headed for the door, quickly exiting. 

"Remember what I said," Rathaway threatened, then turned to follow Hartley. 

Barry sighed again as we went over to shut the door. He really wanted to follow them, but he had no idea what Osgood Rathaway was capable of, especially after all these years without any contact with Hart. He feared he'd make the situation worse. 

Flopping on the couch, he heard a Ping from the cell phone on the table. Great. Hartley doesn't even have his phone with him. Sighing, he reached for his partner's phone, unlocked it by keying in the right code (date of first day at CCPD), and scanned the message that came in. 

Cal  
\-- Hey, you busy? -- 

Barry grinned, a thought coming to mind. He tapped over a message of his own. 

Hart  
\-- Hey, it's Barry, Hart left his phone behind. Not sure where he went but his dad stopped by. -- 

Cal  
\-- Cripes, that guy's bad news. I'll tell the guys. -- 

Hart  
\-- Thanks. I got a beep so gotta go suit up. Laters. -- 

Cal  
\-- *pikachu emoji* -- 

Barry smiled at the message for a moment before taking the cell phone into his bedroom to place it on the charger. He then focused inwardly and tapped the band in three specific spots and it popped open; a different clasp than the other bands for sure. Picking up his own cell phone, he contacted Cisco to let him know that he was on the way. There really was a Meta Beast out there that he needed to take care of. 

He'll just have to worry about Hart later. For now, let the officers keep an eye on him. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Just opened a couple months ago, always filled up with reservations but I hear the food is simply divine. Might not be to your tastes but I'm of the mind that everyone should have a good meal at least once in their lifetime, and do take your hands out of your pockets. This is a very high-society restaurant." 

Hartley rolled his eyes as he slowly retracted his hands from his pockets. "Do you even have a reservation? I hear it's near impossible to get one here." 

Hartley did his best to sound disinterested, despite the restaurant they were standing in front of. The less his father knew about him, the better. 

"A man of my status will always get a table, son. Maybe someday you'll be able to get everything you could ever desire just by your mere presence alone, because people will know you for being famous. Come along, now. Watch how your dad claims the attention of the staff." 

Hartley sighed as he followed behind, hands back in his pockets; an old habit of his when he didn't want to be noticed. It helped him get through many situations, keeping his focus away from his surroundings and other people. He really didn't want to be seen with his father. 

Inside, he heard his father speaking loudly, demanding a table for Rathaway. The pretty host, Lily, seemed overwhelmed, unsure of what to do, until her soft brown eyes caught sight of him. She smiled at him, and, he couldn't be sure, but it seemed like her gaze slid past him for the briefest of moments. 

"Oh, yes, sir, Mr Rathaway, sir. We have a table all ready for you and your, uh, guest. If you'll come with me, it's over in the far secluded corner, away from the other patrons. Quite secluded, private, quiet." 

Hartley hid his grin as Lily stammered and grabbed two menus, then headed in the direction she spoke of. 

"You see, son? Prompt service and a secluded table. She's pretty, hmm?" 

"Indeed," Hartley agreed, wondering what in the world his father could possibly want to talk about. 

He followed along to a very familiar table, his father directing him to take the seat closest to the wall, claiming that he wanted to keep his entire focus on his son rather than being distracted by the other patrons. Hartley knew there were two other tables in his father's view but those were also private tables and not in-use that night. 

Giving Lily a private smile, Hartley turned his gaze back to his father as she dashed off with their drink order. 

"Why are you here?" He asked in his usual cold tone. 

"Dinner with my son, of course, or have you forgotten? I know the girl is pretty but you must learn to control yours..." 

Hartley thumped the table, just loud enough to catch his father's attention and not disturb any of the other patrons. As expected, his father glared at him. 

"Enough already about my sex life," he hissed out. "You wouldn't have come to see me without a reason, so tell me. What could possibly have brought some prestigious company owner out to see a son he disowned nearly ten years ago?" 

Lily returned just then, placing the drinks on the table, some sort of brown liquor for his father, and a Pepsi for himself with a glass of iced water. Hartley rarely ever drank and thus not very knowledgeable about the various adult drinks. To him, it's either Beer, Wine, or Liquor, nevermind the brands and names and all that useless information. 

Before she turned away, Lily slipped him a piece of paper. "Your waiter will be along any minute to take your food orders." 

His father beamed at her. "Thank you, my dear. You have been of delightful assistance tonight. Enjoy the remainder of the night." 

"Um, thank you sir," Lily blushed and hurried off, and Hartley could just see the way her hand was clutching something... 

"Always pays to respect the staff, especially the pretty ones," his father winked at him before opening his menu. 

Taking that moment to glance at the note he received, he scanned it, and rolled his eyes, lightly smiling. Reaching into a hidden pocket of his suit jacket, he hauled out two communicators that were small enough to insert into the ears. He quickly wrapped them in the piece of paper. 

A moment later, Eric arrived to take their orders. Really nice guy, is taking culinary classes during the day. Lily has a right to be head-over-heels for Eric, especially with his special talent of baking Oreo cheesecake, and he's incredibly cute, too. He absently smiled, earning him a stern glare from his father, no doubt guessing as to his thoughts. 

While his father rattled off his order, Hartley noticed how close Eric was standing to him, dutifully writing down the order. Hartley took that opportunity to insert his small package into Eric's pocket, his father completely oblivious while rambling on about modern dating techniques. 

Hartley blinked, wondering when his father switched from placing an order to discussing his son's lack of dating skills. All the while, poor Eric struggled to keep from blushing at some of the lewd comments dear ol' dad was making about Hart. Thinking to rescue his friend, Hartley coughed lightly, and Eric snapped his attention to him. 

"I'll just have the Chef's Special of the night, _extra spicy_." He made absolutely certain to put a devious sparkle in his eye with a flirtatious smile. 

Eric silently mouthed "thank you" before dashing away, the heat in the cheeks finally appearing. 

"I don't like him," he father growled. "Didn't like his roaming gaze and his smile." 

"Oh, he's not all that bad," Hartley replied, adjusting his napkin. "I kinda like him." 

As expected, his father snorted. "So I've noticed. Which is the very reason why we're here tonight." 

He blinked up at his father. "Oh?" 

"Indeed," his father said. 

Hartley sat there in silence for a couple minutes, watching his father take a few sips of his drink. He knew the topic wasn't about Eric. As far as he understood, this was his father's first time in the restaurant so he wouldn't necessarily know any of the staff. He also wouldn't know that Eric was already happily engaged to Lily. He also wouldn't know that Eric is the owner's son. 

Before he could ponder what his father would want to talk to him about, the elder cleared his throat and peered right at him. The intensity of the stare made him uncomfortable, but it also told him that he needed to keep quiet and listen, then follow orders without question. Hartley swallowed the lump in his throat, gave a slight nod to tell his dad he was listening. 

"As you already know, I don't have an heir to my company. Your mother was not able to conceive any more children due to complications with your own birth. I'm looking ahead to the future of my company and need to start training an heir soon. Now don't you worry, I still have many years left in me. By the time an heir is of proper age, he should be more than ready to start taking over." 

Eric returned during the pause, setting their plates down. After ensuring there was nothing else they needed, Eric nodded and hurried off. Glancing down at his plate of chicken breast stuffed with bits of Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese, and dribbled in teriyaki sauce, with steaming hot vegetables, he nearly salivated at the smell. Instead, he caught sight of the new piece of paper and pulled it out from beneath the plate. 

Glancing quickly at it, he did smile and pocketed the note. Unfortunately, his father took that second to glance over at him. 

"Phone number?" came the disgruntled tone. 

"Yes, actually," Hartley lied, keeping his smile pure as he sliced into the chicken breast. He did let out an appreciative "Mmm" at how delicious the chicken was. They don't normally serve chicken breast stuffed with Italian sausage, and certainly not with teriyaki sauce, and certainly not as part of the Chef's Special, but his father didn't need to know that. Hartley could have ordered anything on the menu and still have received his special favourite treat. 

Ignoring his father's glare, Hartley put his entire focus on the delicious meal. Anything to get his mind off of what his father has told him so far. It shouldn't bother him, and it doesn't, not in the slightest, but it irked him that his father had the balls to approach him and tell him all this directly to his face, in a public restaurant. Guess he felt that Hartley needed a reminder. 

"Damnit, Hartley, put your damn fork down before others notice how embarrassing you look." 

Hartley blinked at the tone, only realising that his mind wandered off and it was now ten minutes later. Pulling the fork out of his mouth, he inhaled the scent of the teriyaki sauce that still lingered. He licked his lips and set the fork down. "Okay?" 

His father pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something he could hear clearly with his enhanced hearing. "I swear if you tarnish my reputation any more than you already have..." 

Hartley sighed and tuned out until his father caught his attention again. It was a common argument while he was growing up, even more so as a teenager. 

"Your days of being the town slut are over. It's time you grew up and put them balls of yours to proper usage." 

Okay, that was totally unexpected and uncalled for. Hartley sat there stunned at the bluntness, the tone, the words. "Uh..." 

"The head of my accounting division, he has a daughter he's looking to get married off. I told him that I have an ungrateful son the same age but, seeing as you are my offspring, there's a damn good chance of any of your children having above average intelligence. It's quite common for brains to skip a generation, you know..." 

Hartley couldn't stay quiet anymore, feeling the heat of his own rage. "Hard pass. Look, I'm sure she's pretty and smart, likely sweet as well, but I already have a partner, a boyfriend, one I plan to spend the rest of my life with. If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting, then I hate to tell you this but I can't get pregnant. Doesn't work like that. Even if I were to produce a child somehow, you wouldn't have any right to that child. You already disowned me, disinherited me from the company, that effectively includes any child I might bring into the world, and their child, and so forth. You cut me off and out of your life. I'm a broken chain that no longer exists on the Rathaway tree. I don't exist in your world." 

Silence. 

The most unbearable five minutes of silence in the history of silences. 

Hartley and his father sat there staring at each other, neither flinching. It was Osgood that spoke up first. 

"I'm not telling you how to run your life," Hartley snorted at that comment. "All I'm requesting is for you to meet Candi, date her, marry her, provide me with two heirs. What you do on your own time is your business, as long as you don't continue tarnishing the Rathaway name." 

Osgood Rathaway, the owner and CEO of said company, sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, a victory smirk on his face, as if he fully expected Hartley to obey. 

"Fine, I denounce the name, then. I'm officially no longer a Rathaway." Hartley shrugged as he picked up his fork again. Inwardly, he felt a hole open up, something shattering with his declaration. He refused to give it any recognition, instead focusing his attention on the last of his meal. 

"We're done here," his father seethed, abruptly standing up. 

Hartley's fork clattered to the plate as his father hauled him to his feet and shoved him in the direction of the exit. He stood there awkwardly as Lily scanned the credit card; he really hoped she added on a huge bonus tip. 

He was dragged out of his thoughts when he was hauled outside and pulled over to the corner of the building. 

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Osgood spat at him. "Despite all your outlandish behaviour growing up, I gave you a good home. I swear you were planning to end the line ever since you started fucking around with a bunch of criminals. Why? What is it about the Rathaway name that you despise so much? I asked you out here tonight to reconnect with you, with the hope of helping you get back on your feet again, and this is the thanks I get?!" 

Hartley felt some warm blood oozing down his back from where his father was slamming him up against the brick side of the building. He was also having difficulty breathing with how tightly his shirt was being clutched around his throat. 

"I see it now, you'll never be anything more than a whore, seeding this City with anything you can get your puny dick into. Maybe you already have a dozen offspring or more without realising it. Have you ever thought about that, hmm? Maybe if you provided me with a list of every person you ever fucked around with, I can track down all them bastard kids of yours. One of them has to..." 

Hartley's vision blurred, his hearing gone fuzzy from the lack of air. He had no idea why he didn't attempt to free himself. Maybe a part of him believed he deserved this, that his father might be right. It's true, he did run off a lot, fucked around quite a bit. Maybe if he had listened more... 

His thoughts trailed off as he was thrown onto the sidewalk, his face smashing into the concrete. He felt more warm blood oozing out of him as he fought to stay conscious. 

He had no idea how much time had passed before he recognised the cheerful tone of his father's voice. Rolling slightly, he was met with a pair of boots pressed against his back. A few moments later, his hearing cleared up enough to make out the words. 

"Make it a whole night of discipline and you get another grand," his father said to whoever was there. 

He couldn't believe his father was making some sort of business deal while he was laying there bleeding out on the pavement. His eyes stung as tears threatened to form but he absolutely refused to shed any. That was no longer his father, hadn't been for years. He should stop thinking of him as such. 

"Hrmm," came the throaty reply. "Whole night, eh? What do you think?" 

He didn't hear the reply as the ringing in his ears wouldn't stop. 

"Fine, got yerself a deal. We were looking for a bit of action tonight. We'll toughen him up, show him the real way of the world." 

"Excellent. I don't care how you go about your business, just make sure he understands. He's feisty and stubborn so you don't want to let your eyes off him for a single second. I'll expect some video footage, to make sure you do a good job. There's a bonus five grand in it for you if you exceed my expectations." 

"I got the best video equipment at home with encryption keys that nobody can hack. I assure you, these videos will not exist and will make you drool while watching. You can count on us, sir." 

He was suddenly hauled to his feet, blinded by white light filled with little black dots. He really hoped he didn't have a concussion. He felt his arms pulled tightly behind him and clamped together. Yes, clamped, and not cuffed. These were thick bindings, and, well, they felt odd, weird, warm, nice... 

He let out a groan at the slight vibration in those clamps. 

"Sure he's not gonna keel over on us?" the deep-voice asked. 

"Nah, that's minor compared to what he's used to. He's been enjoying that kind of shit since he was a kid. Trust me, you can rough him up a lot more than that and he'll be begging to suck your cocks. It's about the only thing he's good for, you may as well take advantage." 

He grew quite dizzy as his ex-father walked away, and he was then hauled off toward a vehicle of sorts. He heard the backdoor open before he was shoved inside, the door slamming behind him. He felt the other two get into the front seat, their doors closing. 

He had no idea how much time passed before he realised they weren't moving. He had been laying there focusing on his breathing, trying not to pass out. He did hear soft chatter from the front seat, and he also realised he wasn't hurting as much as he was outside the restaurant. Reaching up, he found his cheek had stopped bleeding, and there was no blood. 

That slight movement caught the attention of the quiet one, who turned around and reached out to cup the side of his face. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. 

"Hey there, back in the land of the living, eh?" 

He shook his head. "How long?" he croaked out, throat unbearably dry. 

"Only thirty minutes but I imagine it felt longer for you, especially when your energies weren't flowing. One sec." 

After a moment, he felt a cool bottle of water placed into his hand. He popped the cap and downed half. 

"Easy, there, don't want to go too fast," the soft voice chuckled. "I don't know how you got so dehydrated in that short of time but when your Healing is fully functional again, combined with our ministrations, you'll be back to normal in no time." 

He heard a beep as the one in the driver's seat ended the cell phone call. 

"We ready to go?" came the growly voice, which was also very soothing. He knew that voice, both of theirs. 

"Yeah, he's conscious enough. Go slow though, he's still feeling fuzzy." 

"Fuckin' bastard. Damn glad Cal got wind of things." 

"Yeah," came the sigh. 

Settling back in the seat again, he closed his eyes, feeling comforted by their voices. He soon drifted off to sleep. 

\----------------------------------------------

Minutes later, he opened his eyes and blinked the two officers into focus. They were standing outside the car with the back door open. 

"Kenny? Wha..." 

"At our place. Good, you're more conscious now. I don't know what that bastard did or how, but he cut you off. You got banged up a little more than you should have." 

Hartley closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply, exhaling slowly. He felt more sure of himself when he opened his eyes again. 

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just need to do a patch-up and rest." 

Hartley stumbled as he climbed out of the car, falling into Kenneth's strong arms. 

"Easy there, kiddo, I got you. Whatever it was must have mushed you up some, too." 

"Huh," Hartley blinked. After a moment's scan, he realised that Kenny was right, his muscles felt a little too mushy. A horrible thought came to mind... 

"It wasn't the food," Jackson destroyed the thought before it fully formed. "It was afterward, outside." 

"Oh, good," Hartley felt relieved with that news. "I'd hate to go back and growl at the Head Chef." 

"He'd likely think you were kidding," Jackson giggled. "As a matter of fact, Connor wouldn't mind it if you stepped in back on occasion. Word is that he thinks you're cute." 

Hartley blushed then snorted at that. "With how much time you two spend there, I would think that everyone there knows by now that I'm not exactly on the market." 

"Oh, he knows that, and he already has a boyfriend. Doesn't mean he can't think about your pretty smile. He also knows your special order and prepares it himself from scratch, roaring at everyone to keep away while he's doing so. It's actually quite adorable." 

Hartley had to smile at Jackson's words as they helped him up the stairs to their apartment. 

"Fine, I'll make sure to pop in sometime and thank him for the delicious meals," he told them, much to Jackson's delight. 

Once the door was unlocked, Kenneth pushed him inside where he lost his balance. 

"The hell?" he spat out, glowering at the chuckling officer. 

"Yeah, Kenny, what the hell?" Calvin chimed in from where he had just finished setting up his gaming system. 

"Here's the way of things for tonight," Kenneth began while he took his boots off and hung up his jacket. "We were paid two grand to beat your ass to a pulp and make you understand the real way of the world. Video footage required." 

"The hell?!" Hartley and Calvin repeated in-sync. 

Kenneth bent down and stared right into his eyes. "As you know, we have the best surveillance equipment scattered throughout my apartment, the kind that officially does not exist, you get me?" 

Hartley found himself nodding, knowing full well that they were Hunter equipment, created in the secret lab at Wayne Manor. 

"Good. Calvin here is excellent at mixing up video footage, editing and the likes." 

"I am?" Calvin blinked, causing Hartley to smile. "What about the two grand?" 

Jackson came over and handed Hartley two energy bars and another bottle of water. Once the first bar was devoured, he was feeling steadier and more focused. 

Kenneth then answered Calvin's query about the money. "The bastard that paid us had very specific instructions and we plan to follow it to the letter." 

Calvin visibly paled. "You... you mean about the beating and such?" 

Kenneth ruffled the young tech's hair. "Yup, and worse. So much worse. There's a bonus five grand for some really nasty shit." 

Kenneth laughed as he stood up and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Calvin looked like he was going to puke. 

Hartley just sat there on the floor, musing over the situation as he finished the second energy bar and the bottle of water. He turned to Calvin after a minute. 

"Got your game?" 

That did the trick in snapping the youngster back to the present. "Yup! All set and ready to go. Just need to..." Calvin clicked a button on the television remote and Super Smash Bros Ultimate appeared on the 72 inch screen. "All the controllers are fully charged up." 

"Mmm, excellent," Hartley beamed, feeling completely relaxed in the presence of his closest friends. 

"Aren't you worried?" Calvin asked while claiming a spot on the sofa. 

"About?" Hartley tilted his head in thought. 

"About what Kenny said," came the reply, muttered so quietly that only an Empath could hear. 

"Oh." Okay, he had to admit he nearly forgotten about that, but really, what possible harm could Kenneth and Jackson do to him? "I wouldn't worry about it, Cal." 

"But..." 

"Kid's right," Kenneth interrupted, coming back into the room. "You have every right to worry as we're sticking you with Pichu for the entire night, no changing out whatsoever. You swap your character, and you're sleeping on the floor tonight. Clear?" 

Hartley literally paled at that. Who in their right mind would choose Pichu?! And knowing these blasted fiends of his, they will target him every single second. 

He groaned loudly. "Just kill me now and get it over with." 

"Mmm, our greatest of pleasure, pretty boy," Jackson cooed into his ear, causing him to blush straight down to his toes. 

Purposely ignoring Calvin's outburst of laughter, Hartley leaned back against the sofa while still sitting on the floor. Grasping a Pro Controller, he smiled at how wonderful his friends were, especially for pulling him out of a bad situation and staying by his side to make sure he fully recovered, especially mentally. 

His vision immediately became obscured as he was buried under a blanket. He huffed in annoyance, clicking buttons at random. 

"HAH! That ain't no Pichu, you get the cold-ass floor tonight!" 

Maybe he'll demote Kenneth back to fiend. 

\----------------------------------------------

Late that night, closer to 3 or 4 in the morning, he stood there silently looking down upon the sleeping form on the sofa. He smiled at the chest lightly rising and falling with every sweet breath. Reaching out, he placed a palm gently on that chest and let some of his own energies transfer over. 

Leaning down, he kissed those precious lips that were truly all his. 

As expected, one of his favourite green eyes opened to peek up at him. He couldn't help but laugh softly at the annoyed expression. 

"Late night?" his partner asked. 

Barry sighed and knelt down on the floor, nuzzling into the side of that tender neck. "Yeah, only one Beast shortly after you left. After that it was three Meta Humans and a bunch of regular criminals. Seems some new gang decided to start knocking over banks. I have no idea where they got their fancy equipment." 

"Odd," Hartley shared in his feelings while running a hand through his hair to soothe him. "I'll look into that later. What's on your mind?" 

Shifting around, Barry sat on the floor with his back leaning up against the sofa where he kept hold of Hart's arm around his chest, lightly running his fingers along it. "There's a few weak spots inside." 

"I imagine there would be. Rough dinner." 

"Hmm," Barry hummed as he fixed up those spots and added more of his energies. Sure, he's had a long night himself, but he made a promise to himself to always give his partner everything he needed, right down to his last dying breath. He will gladly give Hartley all his energies even if it means sleeping for a week. 

"Mmm, that feels nice," Hartley sighed happily at the energy flow. Barry knew just how addicted his partner was to his energies, and that always made him feel worthy of Hart's love for him. 

"You are so lucky that I love you," Barry commented softly. 

"I am," Hartley chuckled as he leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Why so sentimental tonight?" 

Barry really didn't know how to voice his troubled thoughts. "I just... well... earlier..." 

"Ah. You're worried about what that asshole said." 

As usual, Hartley fully understood him. "Yeah. I mean..." 

A finger to his lips shut him up. "Hush, ignore every single word he said. They don't matter, he doesn't matter. Only thing that matters is my love for you. I'm not going anywhere. Yes, I do have my own plans but every single one of them includes you. Nobody will ever get in the way of that. I mean, they can certainly try but we have too many powerful friends that would destroy their very existence if they even think about sending us a bad thought." 

Barry had to laugh at that, feeling the warmth of his words. 

"Thank you for getting the word out," Hartley continued. "Luckily, he brought us to our favourite restaurant, which he naturally didn't know about." 

"Oh, geeze, I hope he didn't make the staff quit, I really like Lily." Barry shuddered at the thought of any of his favourite staff feeling forced to leave. 

"Nah, Lily's fine. A bit overwhelmed at first but once she saw me, calmed right down. She and Eric were excellent at keeping their attention on the asshole, not once letting on that they knew me. He didn't like the fact that Eric gave me his phone number, though." 

He heard the smirk, and when Barry tilted his head backward, he saw the sparkly glint in those eyes. "Oh? I'm not sure what to think about another hot looking guy giving you his phone number." He felt it was duty to sound resentful at the news. 

"Oh, please, I already have his number programmed into my cell phone, and Lily, and Connor, and that really cute kid who works on Saturday nights cleaning tables. You have nothing to worry about." 

"Connor?! That dude totally has the hots for you. Stay away from that jerk," Barry growled. 

"If I did that, then I wouldn't be getting such tasty meals and you know how much I enjoy a good meal, hmm? Remember, he's the Head Chef there. I imagine he knows many ways to get back at a disgruntled customer or anyone he just doesn't like." 

Barry groaned. "Fine, keep his damn number but don't go starting any sexy text talk with him, hear?" 

Hartley snorted. "Those juvenile texts will always be reserved for you." 

"Good... huh?" Barry blinked at the phrasing. 

"Anyway, it wasn't Eric's phone number I received. Kenny and Jacks had the table reserved that we were sitting at, came in right behind us. I must have been so tense from being there that I hadn't noticed them come in. Lily sat them at one of the other private tables seeing as Clements had to cancel that night. My back was to them so I didn't even see them." 

"Is Jennie okay?" Barry asked, knowing that Clements daughter had been undergoing some physical therapy on her leg. 

"Yeah, some spasms flared up rendering her bedridden for the night. Clements messaged me a few hours ago saying she was sleeping comfortably." 

"Good," he felt relieved at that news. He never liked hearing about any of his friends or their children feeling under the weather. "Kenny and Jacks sent the note to let you know they were there, huh?" 

"Yeah. They were listening in on the conversation as well. Good thing they were there as the asshole got a little too physical outside. Normally, I would have been fine but they found a small puncture mark in my side. I was injected with something short-term. Likely thought I'd be easier to handle." 

Barry heard the resentment in that tone. "Oh?" 

"The bastard paid them two grand to show me the proper way of things in life. He didn't know who they were, thought they were just a pair of regular beat cops." 

Barry paled at that. "Your dad deals with dirty cops?!" Speaking of... his thoughts trailed back in time. 

"I know what you're thinking and I'm beginning to wonder about that. I wouldn't put it past him to have contacted Kaplan and Cartel. Especially with what I learned last night." 

"What did they do?" Barry knew he could trust his friends but... that was a lot of money. To his amazement, Hartley snorted and laughed. 

"They took the money and promised to make my life a living hell for the night. And they did. Bloody bastards." 

Barry's eyes widened. "They didn't..." 

"They did." 

"And you survived?! That is one damn mouse I don't like." Barry groaned at the horror of what they stuck Hartley with. 

"Eh, it was better than the alternative." 

Barry shuddered at that, knowing full well what the _alternative_ was. "Damn lucky your dad didn't specify anything specific and that he's really not too bright." 

A beep sounded from his comm, causing him to groan again. "Seriously, I'm done for the night." 

"Might be important. Go check it out." 

"Fine," he growled, standing up, putting his cowl back into place. "One thing first." 

Heading to the linen closet, Barry pulled out a pillow and some blankets. Returning, he dropped the pile on the floor next to the sofa. Grabbing one blanket, he draped it over the sleeping form sprawled out over Hartley. 

"Can get a bit chilly here overnight, and how this one can sleep so soundly is beyond any sane level of comprehension," Barry growled fondly at the young tech. "You're damn lucky I love you." 

"Mmm, I know, and he knows that," Hartley glanced up at him, eyes sparking blue. In the darkness, illuminated only by the city lights streaming through the windows, those eyes were beyond incredible with how they sparkled. Definitely a major weakness of his. 

"Mmm," Barry devoured his partner in a deep kiss. He huffed in annoyance at another beep. "We'll continue this later." 

"Looking forward to it," Hartley mumbled while settling in for some more sleep. 

As Barry zipped out, he really felt like the luckiest guy in the world with the best partner anyone could have ever wished for. 

* * * *

Nearly 6:00 in the morning, the exhausted body finally materialised back into the room. Only thing on his mind was the pillow and blankets he left at the ready. Phasing out of his suit leaving him in only his boxers, the suit falling wherever it landed, he headed over to his partner. 

He tripped over a fuzzy form, thudding onto the floor. He groaned as he laid there on his back, hearing an annoyed chitter. 

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as he tried to shift. He quickly found himself readjusted and a blanket plopped on him, along with a heavy furry leg or something. He really hoped it was a leg, or arm. 

Barry smiled as he drifted off to sleep, grateful that it's the weekend. 

\----------------------------------------------

"Hey," he said into the phone. 

"Hey," came the reply. 

"Good?" he asked. 

"Mmm, very," the other replied. "Got a nice spot ready." 

He grinned at the news. Plans were already in motion. "Soon." 

A gleeful laughter was heard. "Mmm, can't wait." 

Hanging up the phone, he scanned through the photos again. The one he hired for the job certainly had excellent photography skills, each one came out perfectly clear, even the ones when they were still inside the restaurant. 

Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes, going over the things to come. Everything was coming along nicely. 

He smiled when he heard a flutter of heavy wings coming in through the large windows. This was definitely a great night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised that I haven't properly given names to some previously mentioned characters as they were very minor background chars. However, times change and now feel that some deserve a bit of recognition especially at the Italian restaurant that Rob's uncle owns. Yes, yes, I know, the restaurant also doesn't exactly have a name yet, but that will be addressed in a later chapter. We also do have a new guy coming in, Griff, who will officially appear in the next chapter, but was mentioned here just to set him up. Griff will be a recurring char for the remainder of this story.
> 
> Characters:
> 
> Patti Spivott  
> Detective of the CCPD, partner to Joe West. (work partner only)
> 
> Mr Grassi  
> The previous landlord of Barry's apartment building.
> 
> Osgood Rathaway  
> Previously mentioned, he's Hartley's father. Owner, CEO of Rathaway Industries.
> 
> Griff  
> Long-time friend and bodyguard of Bruce Wayne. He relinquished his duties to Floyd Lawton five years ago to undergo some new training methods. Has two younger sisters who are twins. New duties: Chief of Security at Barry's apartment building.
> 
> Lily  
> Hostess at the Italian Restaurant. Engaged to Eric.
> 
> Eric  
> Waiter at the Italian Restaurant. Engaged to Lily. Son of owner. Cousin to Rob.
> 
> Connor  
> Head Chef at Italian Restaurant. Has a keen eye for pretty things that he enjoys cooking for.
> 
> Jennie  
> Daughter of Dispatcher Clements of the CCPD. Been undergoing physical therapy on her leg for a few months.


End file.
